A Marriage of Inconvenience?
by wannabewriter25
Summary: What do you do when the man that you love doesn't love you? You decide your fate. Sookie has decided to live for herself. She wasn't going to stay with someone that didn't love her. Eric wasn't used to being dumped. Not by anyone. Especially not his wife. Could he make things better with her? Was it too late for him to tell her what she means to him? Would it even matter? OOC/AU
1. Chapter 1

**A Marriage of Inconvenience?**

**I know that I have too many stories going but my mind is going rampant with imagination.**

**All characters belong to Charlaine Harris. The story is mine. This goes for any and all chapters that I may forget to include the disclaimer with.**

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Sookie sat up in bed and waited for Eric to get out of the shower. Only minutes ago, they'd made love; no, they'd fucked. She had to keep reminding herself over and over again that she and Eric never made love. They only ever fucked. Though she didn't want to, she had to see it for what it was. She had to stop saying that they make love. They'd never made love; not once in the many years since they've been married.

With her knees drawn up to her chest and her arms wrapped around her legs, Sookie rested her cheek against her knees. She was thinking about what she was going to say to him when he walked back into their bedroom; no, the room that they have to share. She'd waited months to say what she wanted to say. When she'd believed that she'd built up the courage, she found that she couldn't do it. She's always been in love with him. She's loved him since her grandfather introduced them. Even though it was an arranged marriage, she'd grown to love him. She couldn't resist him. She wanted him. It has always been so hard for her to resist him; that is until tonight. The click of the bathroom door interrupted her thoughts.

When Eric came into the room, he had a towel wrapped around the lower half of his beautifully sculpted body. The body that she loved running her hands over. The body that she wanted to hold her because he wanted to hold her. Not because he was horny. In his hand, he was holding another towel to dry his hair. He didn't even have the decency to look at her. Not now and not even when they made ...fucked.

"I'm leaving you."

Eric dropped the towel and looked at her. She could see every muscle in his body tense. "No, you're not," he replied.

"I'm leaving you," she reiterated.

Eric started laughing. "You're kidding me; that's what you're doing. You're by no means leaving me. You love me, remember?" He spat the word love cruelly from his mouth. He knew that she loved him. He could feel it. He's always felt it.

Sookie winced as he mocked her. "I can show you better than I can tell you."

He stared deeply into her eyes as he bent down to pick up his towel. He then slowly rubbed it through his hair. "You're not going anywhere. You _love_ me."

"Not anymore. I don't love you anymore." She prayed against hope and hoped against prayer that he wouldn't see through her lies. She knew one way to keep him from knowing what she was feeling. She did what she said she'd never do. She hid her feelings behind her pain and let her true nature take over. And from the look in his eyes, it worked. He believed that she was telling the truth.

"So you lied? You said that you never lie. You _always_ tell the truth. That's what you told me. Are you lying now or were you lying then? Did you lie when you said that you'd love me forever?" He mocked her as he waggled his finger at her.

Looking him in his eyes, she spoke tenderly but with conviction. "I'm not lying now."

Eric laughed as he'd never laughed before; loud and maliciously. "Well, Mrs. Northman, when did you settle on this bit of realization?"

"I've known for quite some time. Tonight after we fucked …"

"What did you just say?" He sounded taken aback and almost hurt.

"You heard me. Tonight after we _fucked_, I decided that I am no longer in love with you. I'm no longer in love with you and I want out. I'm not happy with you. I deserve better than this."

He moved closer to the bed and stared down at her. "You loved me yesterday. What's changed, Mrs. Northman?"

"Me," she said simply. "And who said that I loved you yesterday? I didn't. I haven't told you that I love you in a very long time. A person can only take so much rejection. I'm done." Her voice was unexpectedly stronger.

Eric reached over and brushed a wisp of hair from Sookie's face. He studied her before speaking again. "You look the same. You sound the same. You remind me of the woman that said she'd love me eternally. You said that you needed me. It may not have been yesterday but you promised me forever." He gripped her chin and his mouth was thisclose to hers.

She was almost tempted to kiss him but she held ground. Sookie took her chin from his hand and said, "As I said before, I lied. None of it matters because it's over."

"You're not leaving me. I won't let you."

Sookie decided to speak the words that she was always afraid to say aloud. "You don't love me. You never have. There's no point in this any longer."

"You knew that I didn't love you. You didn't come into this blindly. I've never hidden my true feelings from you. I can't love you or anyone else. It's not in my nature. This is an _arranged_ marriage. We will be married for the required amount of time. And don't play coy, lover, you knew what this was when we went into this. Until that time is up, we are stuck with each other."

Sookie flinched. She hated when he called her lover. He didn't mean it. Plus, he was wrong. She married him not because it was an arranged marriage. She'd actually grown to love him. Her family had made it a requirement that they spend time together; to get to know each other. She didn't marry him because her grandparents wanted them married. She married him because she wanted to. She really loved him. She's always loved him. That's why his words hurt her so.

"Not necessarily, she said. "I've done some research and I've found out that we can have the marriage ended. We don't have to do this anymore. You haven't been doing as you were supposed to anyway, so what does it matter? We're supposed to make the rounds as a couple when it comes to functions that our families and people have. You never go with me when my grandfather has the huge soirees. I always have to make up excuses for you and I'm tired of it. You never take me with you when you go to the gatherings of your kind. I go to that fucking bar of yours every single time that it is required of me. I make an appearance. I actually like some of your associates. I hate that bar. Do you want to know why?"

He knew why. He could always feel her pain and heartache.

"Do you know how it makes me feel when you go to your office and '_meet_' with those other women …those fangbangers? Do you think that because I never speak up to you that I'm stupid?" She looked at him with sad eyes. "Of course you don't and of course you do. I've chalked it all up to one simple answer. You don't care about me or my feelings. And I'm tired of this, Eric. I'm not doing this anymore."

Sookie stood up from the bed. She didn't bother covering herself as she walked across the room. She stood tall with her head held high and her will stronger than before. She could feel his eyes on her with every step that she'd taken. Sookie went to her underwear drawer and took out a manila envelope. She walked back over to where Eric stood; with the envelope in her hand.

"I talked to the Ancient Pythoness and she told me what we could do to end this marriage of inconvenience." She thrust their freedom into his hands.

Eric took the envelope from Sookie's hand and looked at it. He couldn't believe what he was hearing. She'd gone behind his back and she'd done this. A faery had gone to speak to the counsel about ending a political marriage. She had no right. She was supposed to take all of her concerns to him for his approval. She wasn't supposed to meet with any vampires without him being with her. Whether he loved her or not, she was his. He looked at her and for the first time, he could see that she was serious about ending this marriage.

"We have to go before the counsel in six months time. There, she will destroy the ceremonial knife and break the bond. There will no longer be a marriage between us and the bond will be broken. There will no longer be an alliance between our two races. As you know, ending the marriage early ends any obligations that we've made with our people. When the marriage is over, I may be going back to Faery and if I do, I will never return. You won't have to worry about me or my so called love any longer."

Eric couldn't believe what he was seeing or what he was hearing. He was the one that was supposed to leave. No woman, human or otherwise, has ever left him on their own accord. He was the one that did the leaving. He was the alpha male. How could she fucking do this to him? He's Eric Northman. No one blindsided him; especially not his faery wife. Another reason the marriage couldn't end early was because the allegiance would be broken. They had to stay married the required amount of time. Everything that they've worked for will be null and void. They've come so far. Their people were coming together as one. They'd made so many changes in the supe world. Why would she want to destroy everything that they've worked for? She said that she wanted this and now she's backing out? Because of some fucking feelings?

"When did you do this?" he asked her in his most menacing voice.

"On one of the many nights that you were ignoring me," she answered. She started to laugh. "And why do you care? You didn't even notice that I went to Las Vegas for three days."

He did notice. He noticed that his wife wasn't in their chamber when he'd risen. She was always there when he'd risen. She always had a blood waiting on him. He knew where she was but he didn't know who she was with. He'd sent Clancy to find her. He realized now that he'd made a mistake by sending Clancy. Pam had offered to go but he needed her here. He realize now that he'd made a mistake. Clancy didn't tell Eric who Sookie was with. Maybe he didn't know. She must've left during the daylight hours to go to the Pythoness's house. Why hadn't the Weres told him where she was?

"I want nothing from you. I don't want alimony; if that's even an alternative in this type of marriage. I don't want this house. I sure as hell don't want the memories that come with it." Looking at her finger, she added, "I don't want this ring. I'll use the human name Stackhouse while I'm here in the human realm. I'll be safe because no one knows me by that name. I have to stay here for couple of months after the marriage is over but when I return home, I'm going back to Brigant. There is only thing that I want from you and that is my freedom."

Eric was at a loss for words. No woman has ever done this to him.

"You can read it over. I want you to see that I want nothing from you. It's only one page." Sookie chuckled. "Andromeda, the Ancient Pythoness, laughed at me when I told her that I didn't want anything. She said that I should take you for everything that you have. She doesn't realize that there's nothing that you have that I want." Not anymore, she thought.

Eric knew that he was up shit creek. No one has ever called the Ancient Pythoness by her given name. It was punishable by death. They all knew that. For Sookie to be able to, she and Sookie must have become close in those three days that she was gone. Eric opened the envelope and pulled the piece of paper from it.

"As you can already see, I've signed it."

He didn't need her to point that out. He saw that. He saw that she signed it with the last name Brigant. He also saw that everything that she'd said to him was true. She wanted nothing but her freedom.

"Andromeda kept the original copy. She gave this one to me because I asked her for a copy to give to you. I wanted you to know what I have planned. That's only fair." She didn't wait for him to respond to anything that she'd said or what was written on that piece of paper. She turned away from Eric and went to the bathroom to shower.

Eric watched her as she closed the door behind her. She then did something that she'd never done before. She locked the bathroom door. He looked from the bathroom door to the paper and back to the door again. This wasn't supposed to happen. This wasn't supposed to happen at all.


	2. Chapter 2

**A Marriage of Inconvenience **

**I can honestly say that I didn't expect the reviews that I've received. Thank you all so much. **

**Some of you have voiced concerned about my other stories and if I'll finish them. I have completed 2 chapters for 'Killer' and I've done 3 chapters for 'I Remember You' but I have no beta and I do all of my own editing. I will post them as soon as I can. **

**I also saw in one review that there is a story already with the same title. I'm up for a rename if anyone can think of one. I'm taking all suggestions into consideration. Let me know of any ideas that you may have. Again, thanks everyone.**

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Instead of going to bed after her shower, Sookie went into the kitchen to make herself a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. She'd been in this realm for many years and there are a lot of things that she enjoys about it but she had to admit she's never loved anything as much as she loves peanut butter and jelly sandwiches on Merita white bread. There was one more thing that she needed in order to complete her snack. She poured herself a tall glass of ice cold milk and went into the TV room. She placed her food and milk on the coffee table, took off her robe and threw it onto the back of the couch, and laid down.

Sookie turned on the TV and slowly flipped through the channels. After much debate, she decided on a movie that she'd never seen. It was called 'The Gift'. Once she was settled into her little grove in the couch, and she began eating her sandwich.

As the movie progressed, she heard him when he came down the stairs. She hoped that he would keep right on walking out of the door. There was no reason why he should come in the TV room anyway. He never came in the TV room. He said that TV was a waste of time. She didn't want to hear his ridicule about the idiot box. She wanted to be alone and to enjoy her movie. She didn't want to see him right now. But lo and behold, what did he do? He did what he never does. He came into the room with her.

"Why aren't you in bed?" Eric asked casually as he sat on the couch across from hers. She glanced over at him and decided right then and there that she hated him even more now than she did previously. His blond hair was still a little damp and he had on nothing but a pair of red silk boxers. He had no right coming into her space looking as good as he did. She turned her attentions back to the TV.

"I'm not sleepy." She bit into her sandwich and swallowed a little of her milk behind it. She reached for the remote and turned the volume up on the TV. Eric didn't take too kindly to that and being the arrogant and conceited shit that he is, he stood in front of the screen.

"Don't you think that was a little rude?"

"No ruder than you coming in here talking while I'm watching a movie. No ruder than you standing in front of the TV. So, no; I don't think that it was rude at all."

"Well, I have to disagree."

Sookie shrugged her shoulders to show that she didn't care whether he agreed or not. "Have you ever had a peanut butter and jelly sandwich?"

Eric stared at her.

"Oops," she said. "How could I possibly forget that you're a vampire. You don't know what you're missing. They are scrumptious. It's the best meal that the humans could have ever thought of."

"Sookie," he started.

She interrupted him by sucking the dripping strawberry jam from her fingers. "Don't you have to be at Fangtasia's tonight? I know that one of your fangbangers is probably waiting on you. I'll bet you I know which one it is that's waiting; the one with the tobacco stains all over her _one_ tooth." She giggled at her own joke.

Eric was appalled. "I've never been with anyone that has …"

She kept talking. "I know how you hate to keep them waiting. You need to get going so that I can finish watching my movie."

He ignored her. "We are not ending this alliance."

"So you say," Sookie said with a mouthful of sandwich. "I'm not living like this anymore. The only time you touch me is when we're fucking. You don't even feed from me unless you feel the bond weakening. You'd rather feed from your whores. Am I that disgusting to you? Am I that repulsive?"

Eric never knew that she felt that way. He then realized that there is no reason why he should know anything about her. He's never cared enough to ask.

"You never take me out as your wife. You have little parties at that bar of yours that you don't invite me to unless some important vampire is going to be there and you have to show me off. You have to be sure to let them know that the fae/vampire alliance is still intact." Sookie looked at him and winked. "Why don't you tell me about the other fancy parties that you have? Why didn't you tell me about the one that you're having tomorrow night?" She saw the surprised look on Eric's face. "What? You didn't think that I knew?"

He didn't know that she knew about tomorrow night's party. Who'd told her? Does she know about …?

"I know about everything that you do. You go on trips and so called summits without me. I even know about Freyda. I know," she whispered. "God only knows what you do while you're with her and now you have the gall to tell me that we're not divorcing." Sookie laughed this time. It wasn't her normally cheerful laugh. It sounded almost as menacingly as Eric's laugh from earlier.

Eric walked over to her slowly and kneeled beside her. He leaned closer to her and lowered his lips to ear. "You are not going anywhere. You will never speak of leaving me again. Do you understand me?"

Turning around in order to face him, she said, "Fuck you. Do you understand me?" Her lips grazed his. She licked her lips; letting the tip of her tongue taste his sweet mouth.

He almost lost his balance and he was on his knees. She'd never spoken to him like that before. He'd never wanted her more but he couldn't let her know it. He blunted the bond. "I'm not one to be messed with, my lover. I can make our remaining time together pure misery and hell for you. You wouldn't be able to handle what I'd do."

Sookie looked deeply into Eric's eyes and she wasn't going to let her love for him change her mind. She was done with being the only one in love in this marriage. She couldn't allow him to keep doing this to her. She deserved better and she was going to have better. She was worth it. No alliance was worth being dismissed and ignored. Her grandfather would just have to deal with it.

Sorrow and grief slowly crept into her eyes. This time, she didn't hide her pain from him. She wanted him to feel it. She wanted him to see it. So, she let the tears fall and she opened the bond fully. "Do you think that it will be any different than what I've been through all of these years? The misery and hell that you say you will put me through, won't be any different than the misery and hell from the many years before. So, Eric, do your worst. Now, please. Will you move from in front of the TV? I'm missing my movie. You wouldn't know this but Cate Blanchett is one of my favorite actresses."

Eric stood up and stepped to the side and stared down at Sookie. He couldn't bear to look at her any longer. As he walked to the doorway, he thought of her. He knew that she was crying but he didn't want to see the tears falling from her eyes. He hated seeing her like this. She wasn't repulsive or disgusting. She is the most beautiful creature he's ever known; inside and out. Even after all of this time, she is as beautiful now as she was he'd first met her. It was never his goal to hurt her as he has. He didn't like feeling her pain. He may not have been in love with her but she was still his wife. He'd never meant to hurt her.

When he reached the doorway, he looked over his shoulder at her. "I'm going to go and get dressed and then I'm going to Fangtasia."

"See ya," she said without turning around to look at him. She threw her hand up in the air and let it fall back down onto the couch.

He didn't expect that. He expected her to go with him to their bedroom and help him to choose his outfit for the night. He liked for her to tell him which shirt looked better with the dark washed jeans. He wanted to sit between her legs as she brushed his hair and braided it the way that he liked. He wanted her to walk him to the door and wave to him as he drove away. That was the way their life was supposed to be. That was the way their life has always been. She was supposed to understand that he's a vampire. She knew that they couldn't love. They've never been able to love.

It's not in their nature.


	3. Chapter 3

**A Marriage of Inconvenience? Chapter 3**

**The response to this story has been overwhelming and I absolutely love it! Thank you all so very much. I have received so many excellent new titles that I don't know what to choose from so I think that I'll stick with the one that I already have. I can't decide.**

**I also want to say that the main characters belong to Charlaine Harris and Allan Ball (Godric). I just own the story idea.**

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As Sookie put the last of her belongings in the spare bedroom that was two rooms down the hall from Eric's, she thought of the first time she'd met him. Her grandfather had set up the impending meeting. Sookie had known that she had always been promised to the Viking. Her family never kept that a secret but the thought of finally meeting him did nothing to calm her nerves. But when she saw him standing at the bottom of the stairs waiting for her, she was gone. He was handsome yes, but she saw something more in his eyes. He wasn't like the other vampires she'd met in passing. He was filled with life and passion. His smile didn't look out of place on his face. She was supposed to wait for Fintan to introduce them but she didn't. She walked right up to him and placed her small, warm hand to his face. That one simple touch told everyone in attendance, fae and vampire alike, that she was not going to fight this marriage arrangement. She wanted him and she thought that she could see in his eyes that he wanted her just as much.

He knew how she felt about him the very moment they'd met. His blue eyes burned with desire when he saw her. She could see it. She could feel it. He told her how beautiful that she was. His eyes didn't travel over her body. They stayed trained on her eyes. She was quickly infatuated with him and just knew that he felt the same way about her. It wasn't wishful thinking on her part, either.

He'd do things for her while they were dating that led her to believe that even though he was a vampire, he could love her. He'd say things that that made her believe that he did love her. He bought her tulips, Godiva chocolates, and would take moonlit walks with her in her grandfather's garden. He told her things like about how he came to be a vampire. He even once hinted around about his human life but never finished telling her the story. He was so open and so free when they were together. She couldn't wait to be married to him. If dating him was that romantic, she couldn't wait to see what married life would be like. Sookie had no idea that she was in for a heartbreaking surprise.

Sookie had always heard that people changed after they were married but Eric's changes were extremely drastic. He wasn't the man that she believed him to be but she believed that it had to do with the politics that would forever be on their shoulders. It wasn't a problem for her though. She understood politics. Her grandfather was very political. He married a human and he loves her. There was no reason why Eric couldn't love Sookie just as Fintan loves Adele. So, Sookie continued to fearlessly believe that if she loved him enough during their marriage, that Eric would be as he was when they'd first started dating; attentive, affectionate, and caring. Her cousin Claudine had warned her that it was part of the courting ritual.

_"You can't read too much into it, Sookie. He's a vampire. Grandfather warned you that his so called sweetness wouldn't last."_ She sneered at Sookie. _"He's a vampire. They're all alike."_

Sookie didn't believe that. She was a romantic at heart. She wanted to believe that he did love her. She wanted to believe that he would always love her. He couldn't show it because he's a vampire. She hated that it took her so long to see that Claudine was right. She finally realized that she had been living a fantasy.

"Mrs. Northman?"

Sookie turned to see Jane Bodehouse, one of their housekeepers, standing at her bedroom door watching as Sookie put fresh linens on her new bed.

"Yes, Jane."

"I've put all of your toiletries in the bathroom. You have clean towels as well. Would you like for me to change the sheets for you before I leave?"

Sookie shook her head no. "Thank you for the offer but I can handle it from here. You can go home and be careful. Have a good night, Jane."

"Goodnight, Mrs. Northman," she said. "Oh, and Mrs. Northman?"

"Hmm," Sookie replied as she put the fitted sheet on her bed.

"I hope that things get better between you and the master."

Sookie didn't say that things would get better or that she'd hoped that they'd get better. She said the only thing that she could say. "Goodnight, Jane."

Pretty soon, Sookie was in the house alone. It wasn't like it was new to her; being alone. When Eric would be California updating vampires on the Fae/Vampire treaty, Sookie would be in New York doing the same thing. When they traveled together, she'd be with the other wives the entire trip. She very rarely saw Eric. When it came to vacations, she went to her family's vacation home alone. Eric was always too busy when vacation time came or he didn't have time. Something always seemed to come up.

_"I'll be along later," he'd say._

Later never came.

Sookie almost laughed. She was a married woman and she was alone. She was tired of being alone.

She wanted to leave Eric a couple of months ago but her grandparents talked her out of it. They told her that she had an obligation to her family, to her people. Fintan told her that she needed to try and disentangle herself from the situation. He told her to detach herself. He freely gave her terrible advice but didn't tell her how to disentangle or detach herself from someone that she loves. At the time, she said that it was an impossibility. She couldn't _not_ love him. They didn't want to hear it. Her grandparents didn't have her best interests at heart. So, she made her own decision. She went to the AP on her own. Well, the AP came to her.

She told Sookie that it would be best if she visited Sookie's suite. Unlike Sookie, the AP knew that her guest was being followed. So, she arrived at Sookie's hotel suite under wraps. The AP told Sookie that she had to be sure that she wanted to leave Eric. "Everything that you've worked so hard for could be destroyed. The reconciliation of the races is at a civil and peaceful level now. It hadn't been in hundreds of years. In these last six years, we've made some wonderful accomplishments. The wars have stopped. The numbers of the fae have multiplied. The vampires and the fae have been working together. You know that if you leave him, things may not be as peaceful as they are now. They may go back to the way they were."

Sookie looked sadly at the AP. "Andromeda, I don't want that anymore than anyone else does but I can't live like this anymore."

She reached for Sookie's hand. "Dear one, you have other options but I'm not sure if you'd want to do it."

"I'll do anything to save our people; fae and vampire alike. We've worked hard to get to this stage and I don't want to destroy it. I can't stay with him anymore. What can I do to keep things as they are and keep the little bit of dignity that I have left?"

Andromeda looked deeply into Sookie's eyes and said, "You'll have to marry another vampire; a _powerful_ vampire. The vampire that you choose will have to be just as powerful as your husband. There are two vampires that were lined up for you just in case something happened to the Viking before you came of age. Just in case you didn't want to marry him. Do you want to do this? _Can_ you do this?"

Could she stand being in another loveless marriage? Could she stand being in another relationship with another vampire? Are her people worth saving? Are the vampires worth saving?

"I have a few questions, first."

Andromeda nodded at Sookie.

"If I do this, will any of the treaties that Eric and I put into practice remain the same or will they be null and void?"

"They will remain the same but any obligations that you two have made as a politically married couple will no longer be any of his responsibility. They will automatically transfer to your new mate. As far as he's concerned, it'll be as if he was never a part of it."

"Will Eric have to know about this before I make a decision?"

"He will not. He will only be told after the marriage between you two has been dissolved."

"He may not love me but he's very possessive of anything that's supposed belong to him." Eric wasn't in love with her but any and all vampires have been warned to stay away from his wife. He has promised any of them final death if they so much as brushed against her.

"You and I will be the only ones to know. You don't have to tell him anything …yet."

"And if I don't choose a new mate?"

"You and your people will be sent back to Faery. The portal will be forever closed and all treaties will be as dissolved. Things will return to the way they were before. The fae will not be able to walk this world without being targeted. The treaties with the vampires have kept them safe. If the union ends, I don't want to imagine what would happen. The wars. The destruction. The death."

That helped her to make her decision.

"Yes. I can do this. I can marry another vampire. This time, I'll know what to expect. I won't be misled. I won't be going into this marriage blindly."

"At least one of us won't," Andromeda said.

Both women laughed at the pun.

"Good one, huh?" Sookie asked.

"Very."

Getting back on the subject, Sookie asked, "Who are the vampires that I get to choose from?"

"In a couple of weeks, your husband is having a gathering at her club. There are two vampires that will be there. They are very important members of their kind. When you meet them …"

Sookie's eyes fell to her hands.

"You knew nothing of it?"

"I did not."

"He could be staked for this."

Sookie's eyes widened. "Please, don't!"

"You should always be at his side! He has not right to treat as if you are a minion. A servant. You are _not_ beneath him. You are his wife!"

"Please, don't," Sookie whispered. Tears began to pool in her eyes.

The AP looked angrily at Sookie. "Only because you are my friend, he lives." She squeezed Sookie's hand and exhaled unnecessarily. "You have choice between a vampire called Stan Davis and another vampire simply called Godric. Of the two, Godric is your best choice. He's over 2,000 years old. He's friendly towards your people. He's interested in their well-being and compassionate when it comes to leading a life with the fae. A life that will lead to a prosperous and diplomatic co-existence between the two races. He is very powerful. There are none above him in this world when it comes to his physical power. With him at your side, nothing would be unattainable. You'd never travel without him. You'd never be without him. He would treat you as his equal."

Sookie noticed that Andromeda didn't mention love. Maybe it is true. Vampires can't love.

"So, Godric is my best choice?"

"Yes. You won't have to make a decision that night. You can work the room as if you are making the rounds. Take your time. You have six months to decide. You're not obligated to anything."

"Okay," Sookie whispered. "I'll do it."

Andromeda clapped her hands and said, "Well, let's get the contract drawn and in six months, you'll no longer be Mrs. Eric Northman." Andromeda reached over and patted Sookie's leg when Sookie winced at those words. "And then, let's go catch that new Celine Dion show. We can't be all business now can we?"

That was the night that Sookie's plan to leave Eric went into action.

Sookie walked across her bedroom and turned off her light. Once she was settled in bed, a flash of Eric's rarely seen smile came to mind. It was very nice smile. It made her happy to see him smile. She wanted to believe ...

"No!" she said to the dark room. "I won't do this."

She squeezed her eyes closed and shook the sweet thoughts from her mind. She didn't want to think about Eric. If things go as planned, the only things that she'll have left of Eric will be memories. And if things work out, she knew that in time they would fade away as well. He wouldn't mind. He probably wouldn't even notice that she was gone.

She was nothing to him.

She's never even been his wife.


	4. Chapter 4

**A Marriage of Inconvenience?**

**Y'all are the absolute best of the best. I never in a million years expected the response that I've gotten so far. I can't seem to wipe this smile off of my face. Thank you all so, so much. I know that everyone has a lot of questions. They will be answered soon enough.**

**All characters belong to Charlaine Harris. The story is mine. This goes for any and all chapters that I may forget to include the disclaimer with.**

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Eric sat at his desk as Ginger went over the list of things that needed to be reordered for the club; liquor, napkins, t-shirts, and some other nameless things that she rattled off. He hadn't heard a word that she'd said. He had more important things on his mind. He couldn't stop thinking about Sookie. He thought of what Sookie said when she mentioned that he was always pulling fangbangers into his office. The pain in her eyes; he'll never forget the pain in her eyes but she didn't understand. He'd have to make her see.

She_ is_ his wife.

Yes, he did have the fangbangers in his office but not because he was cheating. They were in his office only because they work for him. He's never cheated on Sookie. In the six years that they've been married, he's never once been with another woman; human or otherwise. He's never fed from another woman. He's never fucked any of the fangbangers. He didn't feed from Sookie because she wasn't just food and a fuck to him. She isn't repulsive or disgusting. She is his wife.

_Nothing more_ than his wife.

When they married, Eric was led to believe that Sookie understood their marriage arrangement. Her grandfather led him to believe that she more than understood '_the nature of the beasts and my granddaughter has more than prepared herself for your kind. You have nothing to worry about, vampire. She will never love you_'.

She more than understood, right? Vampires are not monogamous creatures. They fuck and feed from other beings. Their lives are not meant to be shared. Eric has always believed that. Up until the day he met Sookie Brigant. He couldn't let the other vampires know that he is faithful to his fae wife. No vampire has ever been monogamous. They didn't even have to be monogamous when they married someone of their own race. It's not in their nature. It's _never_ been in their nature. It's not supposed to be in the nature of the fae either. The fae are supposed to keep their loving in the family. They believe in keeping their bloodlines strong and the gifts of the fae even stronger. He's never questioned her monogamy. But then again, he had no reason to. She had every reason to question his. He had to live up to his nature. Or so she thought.

He had to make Sookie and the others believe that he was sleeping with the fangbangers. He may have led Sookie to believe that he was sleeping with the fangbangers but he would never glamor them into believing that they'd actually been fucked by him. He glamored them to believe that they'd had a great time with the master. So, that's what he did. They didn't know that they had a great time taking notes and reading Fangtasia emails. They didn't know that they had a great time putting stamps on envelopes and signing liquor orders. They just knew that they had a great time with the master. There was nothing more to it. Only one vampire knew the truth and she would never tell.

Pam found it to be strange that he wouldn't fuck and feed from the willing fangbangers and waitresses that milled in and out of the bar every night. They vied for his attentions. Vie as they might, they weren't worthy of his time. They were trashy, used, and they didn't measure up to what he has waiting for him at home. He wasn't in love with Sookie but she is his wife.

She is_ nothing more_ than his wife.

Tonight, she impressed him. She made him proud. She'd never talked to Eric as she had; not that Eric doesn't know that Sookie is more than capable of holding her own in any situation. He was just surprised. She'd never disrespected him before. She knew her place. She knew what it took to be the wife of a very powerful vampire. She had been prepped for being his wife for most of her life. She has always been the devoted and compliant wife. She was always made up beautifully and properly. On the rare occasions that they went to gatherings together, she was always the most beautiful woman there. She was always dressed elegantly. She was always graceful and beyond charming. She spoke clearly and eloquently when she gave speeches. She's an octolinguist and still wanted to learn more languages. She has the ability to carry on a conversation with the oldest and most powerful vampires without missing a beat. She made each vampire feel as if they were the most important vampire in the room because once they had her, they had her full attention. Though they didn't know it, it was _she_ that had _them_. She's never met a stranger or an enemy. She could handle herself in any situation but per protocol, her bodyguards are always in tow. Though she is strong and powerful, she understands the need for them. She doesn't argue. She doesn't complain. She is brilliant and beyond intelligent. She is always opened to learning something new. She has a great sense of humor. Contrary to what she believes, he has always been proud to have her at his side. Sookie was …no, Sookie_ is_ a wonderful woman.

But, she is _nothing_ _more_ than his wife.

Fintan is always bragging about how proper his granddaughter is. He talked about how his little faery princess was the embodiment of perfection. Fintan and Adele believed that Sookie was the savior of their people. She is the only one of their kind with the essential spark. When she was born it was her birthright to marry the Viking. She's the only one of their kind, since Princess Shea, to have the gift of life. Sookie's the most powerful fae to have ever been born and just as he was pledged to her, she was promised to the Viking on her 100th birthday. That is when she became stronger and more powerful. Everything that she is belongs to Eric; her telepathy, her many talents, everything. She is his.

She _is_ his wife.

But not for long.

She no longer wanted to be with him. She wanted out. She no longer loved him. Eric sat at his desk and tried to imagine a life without Sookie. He tried to imagine a life that was going to be nothing more than a void. A very human chill tiptoed up and down his spine.

"Master," Ginger said. She looked down at the ground as she spoke to him. "Are you okay?"

"I am fine."

"Is there anything else that I need to order?"

"No," he added sternly.

Ginger looked at her pad. "I guess we're done then."

Eric stared coldly at the waitress. "Then why are you still here?"

"I was just wondering if there was anything else that you needed from me." He could tell by the way that she sounded that there was more to her question. Plus, she ran her fingers over her neck.

"No, Ginger. You may go."

That was not the answer that she was looking for. "Before I do, there is something that I have to ask you, if you permit."

"Ask."

"I know that you are married and all and I never see your wife with you. I can't help but think that it can't be a very fulfilling marriage …for either of you. I was just wondering if there's anything that I can do to …ah ...you know ... please you. This is the first time you've asked me and nothing happened. The others are always talking about the good time that they've had with you. I was just wondering if you'd like to have a good time with me."

Eric eyed Ginger. The life that he has grown to need is ending. He wasn't in the mood for games. He was no longer going to play them. "You know that I am married."

Ginger leaned forward in her seat and said, "You were married when you had good times with the other girls. Plus, I know about your vampire girlfriend. She came here tonight looking for you. So, I figured that since you have a girlfriend, you'd let me please you."

Eric eyed the girl coldly. She was speaking on something that she knew nothing about and she was starting to piss him off. Plus, she didn't stand a chance with him. She's nothing like his wife. Eric thought of his wife's hair and how it shines like the sun, and how her skin is silky smooth and golden. He thought of the smile that would melt almost any man's heart. Her features are sophisticated and she is graceful. Her body is curvy and voluptuous. Sookie is perfect. That thing in front of him was a poor substitute for Sookie.

"I want nothing from you."

She stood up from her seat and walked over to his desk. She leaned her frail and shapeless body over his desk and traced her finger along his face. "If you'd give me a chance, I'll bet that I can change that." She was suddenly filled with courage. She kissed him on the mouth.

Eric pushed her off of his desk and she flew across the room and onto her flat ass. He reached into his back pocket and removed his wallet. He withdrew $200.00 from it and threw it at her. "This is your severance pay. You're fired."

Ginger picked herself and the money up from the floor and staggered to her feet. She looked at Eric with anger and venom in her eyes. "You have some nerve."

Her brazen attitude surprised him. It made him smile for the first time tonight. "Explain," he said.

"All of you vampires are alike. You fuck and feed from us and then you treat us like we're nothing. I'll bet that's how you treat your wife. That's why you're fucking the fangbangers. You don't love her. You don't respect her. She's not enough for you. You have a wife _and_ a girlfriend. I'll bet neither of them sucks your dick the way that I can. Give me a chance."

"You don't know anything about my wife, so watch your fucking mouth."

Ginger dropped to her knees and began begging him. "I know that you fuck fangbangers. I know that I can treat you better than she can. You ain't happy with her. Dump her and move on. I know that I can make you happier than she can. Just give me a chance."

Eric laughed as he stood tall over the groveling piece of trash. The sight of this human trying to be brave amused him but she needed to stop while she was ahead. His amusement only went so far.

"I'm warning you Ginger, it would be in your best interest not to say another word."

She looked at the bulge in the front of his pants and laughed. "I'm offering you a chance to do whatever you want with me. If you need to brush up on your skills, I'm more than happy to let you use me."

He pulled his lips back so that she could his fangs as they snapped beautifully in place. She was soon terrified. Her heartbeat was racing. She began sweating and shaking. Her stink began to fill the air.

"You insult my wife. You question my sexual prowess. I told you to stop while you were ahead. Stupid human; now you'll never leave this room alive."

Ginger had finally realized what she'd done. Her body stiffened. The dumb waitress could now see that she was in danger. She'd suddenly lost all ability to speak. Her heart was in her throat. She turned to run to the door but naturally, he beat her to it and locked her in. Her back was pressed against the wood. Her throat fit perfectly in the palm of his hand. He loved the feel of her pulse beating against it. Eric sniffed the girl's neck.

"I'm going to kill you," he whispered. "Not because I have to but because I want to."

"I'll scream."

"Go ahead. The room is soundproof."

Ginger began to backtrack. "I'm sorry."

"I'm not."

Without warning, his fangs ripped into her throat with such ferocity and viciousness that her blood spilled from her neck in floods. He spat the chunk of flesh from his mouth. Her blood stained his carpet and pooled around his feet. He didn't care. There was only one thing that he was on his mind and that was Sookie. Ginger's screams of pain reminded him of the look on Sookie's face when she talked of how he didn't love her. Ginger's screams reminded him of the pain that filled the bond when Sookie asked if he was repulsed and disgusted by her. His every thought was of Sookie's pain.

After he'd killed Ginger and the sounds of her screams began to go quiet, Eric threw his head back and roared. His eyes were icy and dead. Coldly, Eric stared down at the bloody corpse that lay at his feet. Her dead eyes stared up at him. The gaping hole in her neck was no longer bleeding. Eric looked at the dead body that was sprawled out on his floor and the sight helped to come to a conclusion.

"She is not leaving me," he said to the dead thing sprawled out at his feet. "She is _my_ wife."


	5. Chapter 5

**A Marriage of Convenience?**

**Can you see it?! Can you see the blinding smile that is on my face? YOU did that! Thank you all so much for reading and reviewing this story.**

**I would also like to say to Eva, that nowhere in chapter 3 did I describe Godric like the character from the book or the one on the show. I didn't describe him at all. And as far as Sookie's eye color, I've always stayed true to the book. She's blond and has blue eyes in the book as well as in my stories. So please, read the AN before you call me out incorrectly. Or at least read the chapter first. There is nothing in the story about Sookie's eyes being brown like Anna Pacquin's. The story may be OOC/AU but I stay true to their descriptions.**

**Another note; I agree with a lot of the reviewers about the time frame that Sookie and Eric have been married. That is too long. I've decided to change it from 60 to 6. It would be even hard for me to forgive him. I'm open to any and all criticisms that are constructive; especially from the readers who have read the chapters. So, thank you and you are ALL much appreciated. **

**And I apologize to the guests. I had no idea that guests reviews were not posting. I didn't realize that I'd changed it to not accept but guest reviews can be posted. **

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After the mess known as Ginger was cleaned up from his office floor, Eric sat at his desk pondering the words of his wife; '_I'm leaving you. I don't love you anymore_'. He hated to say it but she has knocked him off balance. Not because she wants to leave him but because she said that she doesn't love him anymore. Her love was real and he's lost it.

"What's wrong, Eric?"

Eric looked up to see his child, Pam, standing at his office door. She stood there staring him in his eyes; not trying to mask the concern that was on her face. The last thing that he needed from her or anyone else was pity. He didn't need it. He didn't want it. He sure as hell wasn't in the mood for her sarcastic remarks. The only thing that he wanted was to be left alone.

So, he did what he does best. He tried hiding his feelings. Eric began to pretend to be going through a stack of invoices that were on his desk. "I'm busy. Leave me to my work." He knew that when he said the words that she was going to defy him. If she hadn't, it would have been completely out of character for her.

She sniggered as she sauntered into his office. She stood in front of his desk with her arms crossed and stared down at him. The sounds of her tapping her foot filled the room. "Busy doing what?" she asked. "Daydreaming? You haven't been out in the bar all night. You've killed one our best waitresses. You haven't made your presence known to the blood bags and to top it all off, your moodiness is bringing _me_ down. Now, come on. Tell me what's going on with you."

Eric rested his arms on the desk; propping himself up on his elbows. There was no point in bullshitting her. She was going to find out sooner or later. Everyone was going to find out. How is it even possible to keep secret that the fae princess wife of Eric Northman has left him?

"Sookie's leaving me."

Pam's smirk was gone. She knew how Eric felt about Sookie but she knew better than to say anything about it. He was too proud to even admit it to himself. So, she said the next best thing. "She can't leave you. She has to be with you for the next century or so. Don't worry about it. She doesn't have the authority to end your marriage."

"Do you remember her trip to Las Vegas?"

"I do. I wanted to go shopping at the Bellagio but you wouldn't let me go. They had a once in a lifetime sale on Jimmy Choos, Prada, and Alexander McQueen. I begged and begged for your permission to go. Do you happen to recall what you said to me? You told me that …"

Eric interrupted her. He wasn't in the mood to hear about her shoe fetish. "She went to the Pythoness."

Pam fell silent.

"She and _Andromeda_ spent three fun filled days in Las Vegas discussing my marriage to Sookie."

The only word Pam heard in that sentence was _Andromeda_. Pam's mouth fell open. "She called the Pythoness by her given name? To her face? She really called her Andromeda? No one has called her that for centuries. If she even heard anyone whisper her name, they were dead before the next word left their mouth."

The Ancient Pythoness didn't like being reminded of her former self. It took years for her to get over it. She stayed locked away for centuries. She couldn't bear to be seen. When the goddess came down to earth in human form, she took a human man to her bed. He was the most handsome man she'd ever seen. As far as she was concerned, he was made for her pleasure only. No human was worthy of him. Since she considered herself to be the most beautiful, in her mind, they were made for each other. When she'd finally had him, she was determined that he was going to belong to her forever. She didn't realize that he had the same intentions.

"_Will you belong only to me?" the man asked her as he thrust inside of her._

She couldn't say no to him. When she said yes, she'd sealed her fate. Her man wasn't a man at all. He was a vampire and drained her of everything that she used to be. He turned her into a creature of the night. He made her his child and his lifelong lover. When she'd become vampire, she hated it. She prayed to Zeus to return her to her former self but he refused her request. She wasn't supposed to come to Earth and take the human as her lover. The gods were ordered to stay in the heavens and to no longer mate with the mortals. He said that she was to remain vampire for all eternity. It was her punishment for disobeying him. For centuries, she stayed hidden away; ashamed of what she was. Yearning to be her former self. Each vampire knew the story and they knew the risks of calling the AP by her given name. It meant instant death for all; for all except Sookie.

"You're fucked," Pam said.

"I know."

"What has happened to change her? She seemed so …chipper when I last saw her."

"She is no longer. She wants out of this arrangement."

"Is it the fangbangers? I told you to stop playing those macho games. You're married to a fae princess for goodness sakes."

"I've never fucked them, Pam."

"How is she supposed to know that?" Pam placed her palms on Eric's desk and looked him square in the eyes.

Eric sighed. "She knows about Freyda."

Pam dropped her head and shook it. "What?"

"She knows about Freyda."

Pam looked up at her maker with disappoint in her eyes. "Eric."

"I know."

"What does she know about her?"

"Nothing," he replied.

"Are you sure?"

Eric paused before answering. He knew that if Sookie knew anything about Freyda, she would have said something about it. Tonight, she didn't hold anything back. So if she knew anything, she would've said something about it. "I'm pretty sure."

"Well?" Pam asked with her arms thrown out at her sides. "Did you tell her about her?"

"There's nothing to tell."

"Does she know about the party for tomorrow night?"

"Yes."

"Who told her?"

Eric looked at Pam with sullen eyes. "I haven't a clue."

"Well?" Pam asked again but this time with a little more frustration.

"Well, what?"

Pam looked at Eric as if he were Bubba. "Did you at least tell her that you had planned on telling her about it but it slipped your mind?"

Eric looked as if the idea had never crossed his mind. "No."

It was getting harder and harder for Pam to hide her irritation with Eric. "Did you at least invite her?"

Again he said, "No."

"Are you fucking kidding me, Eric? What did you say to her?"

Eric said nothing.

"I hope that you didn't look like that when she mentioned the party." When he didn't say anything, Pam shook her head. "I guess you did. Is she coming?"

"I don't know. I doubt it."

"I told you to tell her. I told you …"

"I don't need to hear '_I told you so_' from you. What I need from you is a way to fix this."

"You could've fixed this long ago."

Eric dropped fang on Pam. "I want you to help me fix this now."

"Eric, what am I supposed to do? Sookie and I aren't girlfriends. She invited me to go shopping with her but what did you say? No. You never gave me a chance to get to know her. You didn't want her around any of us unless you were there. And anyway," she added, "why do you want to stay in this marriage? You act as if you hate her."

"I don't hate her."

Pam sat on the edge of Eric's desk. "Your actions say something entirely different."

What could he say other than that she was right?

"It's not entirely my fault. Her grandfather ..."

"Hates vampires. He didn't want her with you anyway. If the decision hadn't been up to Adele, you wouldn't have her now. She'd probably be holed up in that Faery fucking palace eating glitter and fucking some faery shit that flits around the faery lands with a wand stuck in his ass." She looked accusingly at Eric and said, "If what he said was true, how can you blame her? You weren't exactly the Prince Charming that she thought you would be."

"Pam." His voice had gone deeper. Pam didn't care. She kept saying what she wanted to say.

"You could've made up your own mind but you let _Fintan_ decide for you."

Eric glowered at Pam before backhanding her. "I'm not in the mood, Pam and help me figure this out."

Pam slid down the wall. The hit didn't phase her. She got back up and brushed herself off. "Really, nice," she said. After smoothing down her hair and her clothes, she returned to stand in front of Eric's desk. "There's nothing to figure out. It's all up to you. There is only one question that you have to answer. Do you love her?"

"No."

Pam snickered. "You do."

He dropped fang on Pam. "I don't love her. It's not in our nature to love."

"It's not in our nature to marry outside of our race but you did it."

"For political reasons only," Eric argued.

"You are the worst liar. You let your machismo get in the way."

"Do you know how it would be if they knew ...if they thought that I was in love with her?"

"Fuck them!" Pam yelled. "Do they answer to you or do you answer to them? Men! Be it human or vampire, you're all the same."

"If you speak out of turn again, you will regret it."

"Yes, master." Pam never took his threats seriously but after that backhand to her face, she knew that it was time to tone it down a notch or two. "What will happen to our pact with the fae if she does leave you? We've worked too hard for everything to be tossed to the side. Our races have lived in peace since you and Sookie have married. Your marriage ended the war. If she leaves you, it could be the end of us; vampire and fae alike."

"I know."

"Quit being so stubborn, Eric, and tell her the truth. Tell her that you love her."

"I. Don't. Love. Her."

"If you say so." Pam stared at him without saying another word.

"Don't look at me like that."

"Like what?" Pam asked.

"Like that."

Pam shrugged her shoulders and shook her head. "I don't know what you're talking about but here's what I'll do. I'll close my eyes while I talk to you. Will that make you more comfortable? Will that work for you? You won't have to face me or the truth."

"Get out, Pam."

"What?" she asked with a smirk on her pink painted lips.

"Get out. While you're getting out, call Alcide for me. Get him on the phone tonight. He was supposed to be following Sookie during the day while she was in Vegas. I want to know how she came to meet with the AP without the knowledge of a vampire and Were that were supposed to be following her. I want to know how he didn't know what she was up to."

"Will do," Pam said.

"Send in Clancy."

"Will do." This time, Pam saluted before closing the door behind her.

Soon, Clancy was knocking on the door.

"Come in."

Clancy sat in the chair that faced Eric's desk and waited. He knew that Eric was angry; especially since he killed Ginger. Ginger was the best waitress that they had. Well, for fucking and feeding from, anyway. He could also see that there was something in Eric's eyes. His eyes weren't the same. The normal life that was in them was gone. They were deadlier than ever. Clancy had never been afraid of Eric before; that is, until tonight.

"Tell me about Vegas."

Clancy stiffened. Something must've happened that he missed. He began to believe that he would probably leave the room in the same condition as Ginger only he wouldn't be in a garbage bag. He'd be a bucket of goo.

"I want to know what Sookie did while she was there."

"She didn't do anything. Every night, she stayed in the hotel. She ate dinner in the hotel; mostly in her room. She had no visitors. She shopped at the hotel. She went to one show but she she didn't leave the hotel. She stayed at the Bellagio. She never left the building. I swear to you, Eric. I never let her out of my sights. You must believe me. I've never let you down."

And he hadn't. Eric knew that to be true. Clancy has always been loyal.

"Did you ever see anyone with her?"

Clancy shook his head no. "She was always alone."

That doesn't mean anything. Sookie is extremely gifted. It's possible that she'd hidden all from them. Allowed them to see what she wanted them to see.

"Do you still have the video?" Clancy asked. "If you need another copy, I can leave for Vegas tonight and get it for you."

"There is no need. I just needed to be sure that you were aware of her comings and goings. Did the Weres report to you as they were told?"

"Without fail."

"They never saw anything out of the ordinary?"

"No sir."

"Did it appear to you that they were hiding things?"

"No sir. We've always used Alcide and Bassir. They've always been truthful, master. I've never known for them to hide anything. If you don't mind me asking, has something happened to her?"

Eric told him no. "She is fine. I just want to be sure of her safety."

"We kept her safe, master. I swear to you on the blood."

"You may go," Eric replied.

Clancy bowed to Eric and left the room.

There were a million questions that Eric needed the answers to. How did Sookie meet with the AP without anyone knowing? What did the women talk about? Did Sookie mean it when she said that she may go back to Faery and never return?

More importantly, how was he going to fix this?


	6. Chapter 6

**A Marriage of Inconvenience?**

**Y'all are my most favorite people in the world. Thank you so much for taking the time to read and review this story. And because of the wonderful reviews, I've decided to post this bonus chapter tonight. I may be delayed for a few days with the next one but so what? You guys have made my day. **

**And I never meant to be rude to Eva. That was never my intention but I can understand how I sounded that way. Eva, I apologize to you for coming off in the manner in which I did. I was wrong and I should've been clearer in my choice of Godric's that I was going to use.**

**Another thing, Godric is not the Godric from the show or the book. He has the some of the characteristics as the Godric from the show and the Godfrey from the book. The show Godric's characteristic that I've used is his willingness to be a part of something different; his willingness to live a life different than the one he has always been used to. From the book, I've given Godric Godfrey's wittiness and his charm. He's not going to be moody and sad like the show Godric and he's going to look like a little of both or maybe I won't describe his looks at all. I'm open for suggestions on how Godric should look. Does he have to look like the one from the show or the one from the book. He's coming in the next 3 or 4 chapters. Let me know.**

**And Stan Davis is the Stan from the books. The Stan from the show didn't seem to keen on anyone that wasn't a vampire. **

**I don't own the characters. They belong to Charlaine Harris and Alan Ball (Godric). The story idea is mine.**

**Enjoy!**

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Alcide told Eric the same things that Clancy told him. She never left the hotel. Everything and anything that she did while in Vegas, she did them at the hotel. He also said that he never let Sookie out of his sight. Just as he'd believed Clancy, Eric took Alcide at his word. The vampires and the Weres have always done an excellent job for Eric. It wasn't their fault that he didn't know how Sookie came to be with the AP. The only conclusion that he could come to was that she'd teleported herself from one place to another. Pam was right. He should've let her go with Sookie. She would have been with her when the night came and he would have known of her plans to meet with the AP.

When Eric got home, it was almost dawn. He slowly opened their bedroom door as to not wake Sookie. Without bothering to look at the bed, Eric went to the bathroom to undress. That's when he noticed that her things were no longer on her side of the bathroom; no hair curlers, no tubes of lipstick, no perfume. Her vanity was devoid of all of her things. There was nothing of hers left. He blurred back to the bedroom. He threw the closet doors opened and saw that her closets were bare. Her dresser drawers were just as empty as her side of their bathroom. Eric closed his eyes before he turned to face the bed. He knew before he'd opened them that she was gone.

Eric roared out in a rage. He began throwing things. The draperies no longer covered the light tight windows. The covers were no longer on the bed. His pillows were no more than feathers flying around the room. He was so into his temper tantrum that he didn't notice her standing at the bedroom door.

"What's going on?" Sookie asked him anxiously. She thought that they were in danger and she was in fighting mode. She was shimmering and energy emanated from her body. Her electricity filled the air. Her giant sword was at her side.

Eric turned around to see her standing at the door. She looked as if he'd startled her out of a deep sleep. Her rumpled, white gown clung to every curve of her body. Her hair was messy. Her eyes were bloodshot from sleep but she was ready to fight. And she was the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen. He suddenly felt something that he'd never expected to feel when he saw her. He was relieved …and happy. Those feelings were soon replaced with worry and concern.

"Where were you?"

When she saw that he was okay, her powers slowly began to fade away. "I thought that something was wrong. Are you okay?" She looked as if she wanted to go to him but she stayed put. The sword was suddenly gone.

Whether or not if he was okay, didn't matter to Eric at all. "You weren't here. Where were you?" he asked her again.

"I was in my room." She used her thumb to point in the direction to where she was.

"This is your room," Eric announced loudly.

"No, it's not."

"You are my wife. You are to stay in here with me."

"Now you want me to be your wife? You've never treated me as if I'm your wife. Why am I your wife now? Don't tell me that it's because I'm leaving you." Sookie began to laugh quietly. "The great Eric Northman can't stand to lose, can he?"

Eric was instantly standing in front of her. "We are moving your things back in here tonight. You will stay in here with me."

Standing firmly, Sookie looked up at Eric and said, "No, we are not. I am staying where I am."

Sookie turned to leave and once again, Eric was standing in front of her. "You will stay in here with me."

"You can't make me."

Eric's blue eyes were blazing with anger and lust. He wanted to rip the flimsy gown from her body. He wanted to throw her down onto the floor and make love to her as he's never made love to her before. Eric reached for her and instantly, she was gone. Eric rolled his eyes and roared again.

"Sookie!" he yelled.

She slammed her bedroom door and locked it.

Eric began banging on the door. "Let me in, Sookie! Let me in now!"

"I will not!"

"I will rip the door from its hinges if you don't open this door! I will give you until the count of ten! You are going to let me in!"

"By the time you reach number one, I will be gone. I'll return home to Fae and you will never see me again if you do! I will! I'm not playing with you, Eric!"

Eric stopped banging on the door. He never bothered with counting. Speaking through clinched teeth, he said, "Tell me why you've moved into another room."

"Because I don't want to sleep in the same room with you anymore," she said. "That's why."

"That is not an option," Eric said softly. He pressed his hands against the door.

"It is now. Why can't you see that?"

"We need to talk about this."

"What is there to say? Why are you doing this? Why are you acting like you want me when you don't?" Sookie then leaned her forehead against the door. Her tone suddenly changed. "Since we've been married, you've shown me no type of emotion until tonight when you learned that I'm leaving you. If you have feelings for me, you keep them to yourself. You don't talk to me. You don't share with me. You don't look at me when we fuck. You don't even kiss me anymore."

"Don't say that. We don't fuck," he said as he leaned his forehead against the door. He's never fucked her.

"If you say so," she chuckled.

"We can work on this."

"You don't want that."

Eric squeezed his eyes closed at the sound of her words.

"I heard the most eye-opening saying on the radio one day; a couple of months ago. Bob Marley said it, I think. Because of his words, I decided right then and there that I needed to tell you the truth. I've been disillusioned for too long." Sookie began to laugh. "For six years as a matter of fact. I always thought that you loved me but you had to hide it because you're a vampire. I really did. I understand how your kind thinks. You can't let others know how you feel. It's a sign of weakness. You always have to be in control. You always have to be the top dog but I thought that when we would be alone or at the gatherings with our peers that you'd at least show me a little something. A kiss on the cheek while I'm watching TV or a simple glance or a smile from across a crowded room; that's not too much to ask for, is it?"

"Sookie," Eric begged.

She continued on as if she didn't hear him. "You were so sweet when we were dating. You held my hand. You sat at the piano with me and played for my grandmother. What sticks with me the most was the night that you kissed me for the first time."

Eric remembered that night. It was the most beautiful kiss of his life. He could feel her life flowing through him. It was filled with passion and something more that he wasn't familiar with. The feeling of her arms as they went around his neck as they tasted each other for the first time. She tasted like the summer sun. Yes, that night sticks with him too. He's never let that night go.

"It was on our fourth date," he recalled. "You wouldn't let me kiss you until our fourth date. You said that you didn't want to seem easy. A simple kiss," he said with quiet laughter, "on the first date would have made you feel easy."

Sookie laughed right along with him. "I am a lady, after all. Do you remember my cousin Claudine? She was the matron of honor at our wedding?"

"I do," Eric replied softly. Claudine didn't take too kindly to her favorite cousin being promised to a vampire.

"She told me that you didn't love me. She said that it was all a political game. I didn't believe her then but now I know that she was right. Eric, we can't do this anymore. I can't do this anymore. I don't want to. I decided that I'd rather be hurt by reality than live in this stupid fantasy world of mine for the next hundred or so years."

Eric didn't know what to say. He didn't know what to feel.

Sookie opened the bedroom door and looked up at Eric. Her tear filled eyes met his. His body stiffened when he saw her face. He'd never seen her cry before tonight. He wasn't prepared for his reaction. With his thumb, he reached out and brushed a tear away. She leaned into his touch and closed her eyes.

"I've always wanted this but it's too late now." She opened her eyes and looked up at him when she took his hand away.

"We need to talk about this, Sookie. I can fix this," Eric said. The words surprised him. Pam was supposed to come up with something. He didn't know that _he_ wanted to fix it until he said the words to her.

"The biggest coward is a man who awakens a woman's love with no intentions of ever loving her. That's what Bob Marley said." She looked Eric evenly in the eyes and said, "You don't love me. You have no intentions of ever loving me."

She waited with bated breath. She wanted him to tell her that she was wrong. She wanted him to tell her that he has always loved her. She wanted him to say that she is the only woman for him. She wanted him to tell her to give him another chance but he said nothing. He did nothing. He only stood there and looked at her.

Sookie quickly wiped away the fallen tears. She sighed and said, "I'm staying in this room. I've never asked you for anything, Eric. Just let me have this, okay? I want to stay in this room."

Eric didn't want to be without her but he wasn't going to force her to come with him so he did what she asked of him. He took a step back and stared at her. He didn't say anything. He didn't make another move.

"Thank you," she whispered softly.

He watched her until the door had completely blocked her from his view.

As he walked to his room, Eric could feel the pull of the sun. He hasn't slept without her in six years. He was used to her. The rhythmic sounds of her heartbeat and her breathing relaxed him. The warmth of her body lulled him to rest for six short years. She's given him peace. He needed her with him. He wanted to tell her that she was wrong. He wanted to tell her that he does …have feelings for her. He wanted to beg her to give him another chance. He wanted to go back down the hall and throw her bedroom door open and tell her everything that she wanted to hear. He wanted to tell her everything that he was feeling at the very second but he didn't. He continued the long walk to the big, empty, and lonely bedroom.

When Eric got into bed, he just laid there. Normally he'd fall asleep as soon as they'd made love. He'd never felt the pull of the sun after he and Sookie were married. He'd forgotten what it felt like. This morning, instead of Sookie lulling him to sleep, it was going to be the sun. He hated that feeling.

As he slowly died for the day, Pam's sage words resonated in his mind.

"You're fucked."


	7. Chapter 7

**A Marriage of Inconvenience?**

**Y'all so great. Thank you so much for your support and the time that you've given to this story. I have to say this. The story is my idea but the characters do not belong to me. They belong to Ms. Harris. **

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As Sookie parked her car, with her bodyguards parking on either side of her, she realized that after last night, her only choice was to move on. She'd given him an opportunity to tell her that she was mistaken; that he has always loved her. But what did he do? He stood before her and looked completely dumbstruck. Obviously, he hadn't always loved her. He walked away.

She had no desire to marry another vampire. She didn't want to marry Godric or Stan Davis. She didn't want to get into another marriage that was loveless and lonely. She was going to weigh her options but she realized that if she ever wanted the sun to shine on her face and in her heart again, she would have to get out of the vampire marriage altogether. Her people could survive in the Fae realm. There was no need for them to have to be in the human world. It was safer for them to be in their own realm anyway. They did many centuries before. They could do it again. After tonight, Sookie had but one choice. She doesn't want to marry another vampire. She wants out.

When Sookie walked into the salon, two of the Fae guards stood outside and the other two came in with her. Her grandfather didn't have anything against the Were guards that Eric hired but he felt better knowing that his granddaughter was being protected by her own kind. They swept through the place before she was allowed to fully enter. Once they'd established that she was in no danger, they deemed it safe for her to go inside.

"Hey, Laf," Sookie said as she entered the beauty salon.

Lafayette Reynolds looked up from his receptionist's desk and smiled. There was no one in the world like Mr. Reynolds. He was the best at what he does. He was arrogant and conceited. He was also flamboyantly gay and he was the absolute best hairdresser she's ever known. Lafayette owns the most successful hair salon in the state and Sookie was his most important supernatural client. When she became his client, he stopped charging her for his services. Hell, she didn't even have to make appointments anymore. If the fae princess thought that he was good enough to do her hair, every supernatural within a thousand miles wanted him.

"Sparkles," he said with a snap of his fingers. "You are in for a treat today. The new polishes came in and I have the most exquisite colors already picked out for you."

Sookie tried to look happy but the smile felt out of place. She didn't have to put on a front for Lafayette because he already knew what was going on with her and Eric. She told her favorite person everything. When she didn't say anything, he pulled Sookie into his cubicle and hugged her. When the fae guards saw him touch their princess, they went on the defensive.

"Stand down," Sookie warned them.

Lafayette stared at them as if he was waiting for them to do something. He had one hand on his hip and had wrapped his other hand tightly around a very hot curling iron. "What?" he asked with that a little extra bass to his voice.

Lafayette didn't faze them one bit. The look on Sookie's face did. "Stand down," she repeated. The guards returned to the outside of the cubicle and held their positions.

Lafayette looked at Sookie once more and said, "Wait a minute. You look different. What's going on with you? Is there something wrong?"

"I'm fine." Sookie was shocked at his words. Something was going on with her but he wasn't supposed to see it. He's human. To make him think that it was something else, she mentioned last night. "I told him."

He stood back and looked at her. "Is that it? Are you sure?" He was more than concerned.

"Yeah. There's nothing else."

"Okay," he said reluctantly. "How'd it go?"

"Better than I'd expected it to." Sookie went on to tell Lafayette about how Eric told her that she wasn't leaving him. Lafayette laughed when Sookie told him how Eric behaved when she changed rooms. She told him about how Eric ripped the draperies from the windows and ripped the pillows in half when he saw that her side of the bed was empty. "Other than that, he handled it pretty well."

Lafayette giggled. "He'll get over it. You did what you had to do."

"I know," she said. "That doesn't make it any harder."

"Look here, honey. You are an amazing woman. So what if he's handsome and rich and handsome and has body to die for. He is _so_ handsome. You don't have to deal with someone that doesn't appreciate you."

Sookie flopped down in the salon chair and turned towards the mirror. "I am quite an original, aren't I?"

"Yes, you are." The two friends laughed.

Looking seriously at reflection Lafayette, she said, "I do love him."

As Lafayette ran his fingers through her hair, he looked at Sookie's reflection and said, "I know but you know what? Love is a bitch, Sookie, but what can you do? We love being in love no matter the pain that comes with it."

"I can't blame it all on him. I let it happen." Sookie covered her face with her hands. "I can only imagine what people are saying about me. They probably think that I'm so stupid."

"So what, Sookie? People are going talk no matter what you do. We all do stupid things for love. I'm not going to try and understand the supernatural marriages. They are way over my beautiful head. But from what I can see, they're no different than human marriages. Hell, women stay with men for twenty years, getting their asses kicked. They stay with men that cheat on them. Some men are brave and bold enough to bring their side pieces home and fuck them in front of their wives."

Sookie's mouth fell open. "Shut up! I've never heard of that."

"Look at this sexy face. I speaks the truth. We stay with men that don't work. That don't take care of their children. Women do it too. Love is a confusing thang, honey. It will kick your sexy ass. I've been there. Done that and will keep doing it because it's love. You don't give up. You fight for what you want or you move on."

"I wish that he had given us a chance."

"You tried."

"I did, didn't I? I tried including him in my life."

"Yes, you did and that's…"

"La-fay-ette!" a sing songy voice rang out.

"Shit," he said. He left his cubicle and went out to greet his client with a huge, fake plastered on his face. He was soon the most professional man Sookie had ever seen. "Mrs. Fortenberry, how are you this fine morning?"

"Just wonderful Lafayette, just wonderful," she replied.

"The dress that you have on is just divine. I'll bet your husband didn't want to let you go this morning and who could blame him. You look absolutely scrumptious," he said to her.

The old lady giggled like a school girl. "Oh, Lafayette. You people are so funny." She then put her old hand on his arm and said, "I don't mean _black_ people. I'm talking about the _gays_." She whispered the words black and gay as if they meant death to anyone who said the words aloud.

If she wasn't one of his best clients he would've kicked her fat ass out but he decided to do her one better. Whispering back to her, he said, "I know what you mean and I am not offended. People your age usually say things that they don't find offensive but I've learned to ignore them. I find it to be right humorous myself. And I must say, you people are funny too. And I don't mean _white_ people. I mean _oldsters_. You were born during the '30s, weren't you?"

Mrs. Fortenberry was taken aback but didn't say so. She didn't have to say anything. The look on her face spoke volumes. She was born in the 30s but she's always fancied herself to look younger than she is. Right then, she decided that she needed to make an appointment with Dr. Greenberg. She needed to get another face lift as soon as possible.

"Are you okay, Mrs. Fortenberry?" Fakeness oozed from Lafayette's voice.

She, too, had a fake smile on her face. "Yes dear, I'm fine."

"Do you need something to drink?"

She shook her head and said no. "I'm here for my 9:30 with Amy."

"You do love your spa days, don't you _old_ girl?"

She ignored him. "Is she in her cubicle?"

Pointing to the back, Lafayette said yes. "You can go on back. Take your time now. I'd hate for you to slip, poor thing. She's waiting for you. And sweetie, it is always a pleasure to see you."

Mrs. Fortenberry thanked Lafayette and walked away.

When she was out of earshot, he said, "If she talked anymore shit, she'd be shaped like a turd."

Sookie laughed as she hadn't laughed in a long time. She loved her visits with Lafayette. They have been the highlights of her days.

Lafayette continued fussing about Maxine Fortenberry. "If she wasn't one of my best clients, I'd run her old ass off." He looked at Sookie's reflection and said, "I hate that bitch but I love those checks. Now, where were we? Oh, how long have we been friends?"

After she'd gotten over her bout with the giggles, Sookie was able to answer his question. "About four years."

"How many times have you invited him to go out with us and my insignificant other?"

"More times than I can recall."

"And what does he do?"

Sookie shrugged her shoulders. "He never wants to go."

"So, there you go."

"There you go what?"

Professional Lafayette was gone. "Hookah, he doesn't know what a prize he has and what I'm saying has nothing to do with who you are. You are a great person. Your sense of humor is priceless. You have the biggest heart of anyone that I know. Oh, and your style; you have such great style. That's why I hangs with you. We look so good together. If I was a straight man, you'd be my perfect ten."

"You're too much." This time the smile, didn't feel out of place. It felt right.

"Better than not enough," he said with a snap of his fingers. "Why is it okay that he doesn't love you the way that you deserve to be loved?"

"It's not okay but he wasn't always like this, Laf. He used to be so sweet and wonderful. He took me out on dates. He bought me flowers and chocolates. We danced and talked. We laughed and enjoyed each other." She turned around to look at Lafayette. "I thought that I was the luckiest woman in the world. I just knew that he'd be just as great as a husband."

"What happened?"

She didn't want to go on about how he'd made a fool out of her. Her thoughts of him being a vampire and not wanting to admit his feelings were just stupid pipe dreams. She didn't want to be anymore embarrassed than she already was. She already felt bad. There was no need in feeling any worse than she already did.

"All that I can say is that he changed."

"Is it okay if I ask you something? You've never really elaborated on it much so I'm curious."

Sookie smiled at reflection Lafayette and said, "You can ask me anything."

"Do you know for sure that he's sleeping with the fangbangers?"

She didn't expect that question but she answered it anyway. She shook her head no. "I haven't any proof but why else would he have them in his office? They come out telling the others that they've had a great time with him. What else could it be?"

"Does he feed from them?"

"He doesn't feed from me as often as he should. I know he's not starving himself. He can't be living off of that nasty Tru Blood. If he's not feeding from me, he's feeding from someone."

He thought over what Sookie'd told him. He wanted to tell her to find out what's going on before making rash decisions but he didn't. He didn't want her to think that he was turning into her grandparents. He wanted to be a good friend; even if it meant he had to say what she wanted to hear. For now. So, being the good friend that he is, he said the next best thing. "Fuck him." Lafayette kissed the top of Sookie's head. "You do what you have to do for you."

"I will," she replied as happily as she could.

"I've got something to tell you." He quickly added, "It may be nothing but I think that you need to know."

"What is it?"

"A red haired vamp came in here a few nights ago. She was with some Were bitch. She got a mani/pedi. She said that she's in town for a big party that's being thrown at the bar called Fangtasia; _your_ husband's bar."

Sookie looked at Lafayette's reflection. "Who was she?"

"I don't know, girl, but she was fierce. The bitch had it going on …or so she thought. She ain't got nothin' on you though. She ain't half as pretty you are and she ain't got nearly enough class."

"Did she mention what she is to Eric? How she knows him?"

"No," Lafayette said as he brushed her hair. "She didn't even say his name but she was talking about meeting a powerful vampire there. The only powerful vamp that I know is yours. And if I hear of any bitch talking about my friend's husband, I am on alert. I just know that she's going to that party."

"I'm going." Sookie hadn't decided until that second that she was going to the party. She wanted to know what the red haired vamp wanted with her soon to be ex-husband. Sookie looked up at Lafayette and said, with a little more power in her voice, "I'm going."

Lafayette stepped back and smiled. "Stop it!"

Sookie's smile faded. "I shouldn't go? Do you think that I should stay home?"

"Bitch, naw. You get your sexy ass together and go to that party!"

Sookie looked at her watch and said, "It's 10:00 now. I'll have to go shopping. I need a new dress and some new shoes. There's so much for me to do." Sookie reached up and touched her hair. "If you do something elaborate with my hair, I won't have time to …"

Lafayette snapped his fingers. "Uh-huh, bitch. You are not going to make a bunch of excuses. You are taking your fine ass to that party and you are going to own it. Do you hear me? You are going to OWN. IT."

A bubbly feeling began to build inside of her. "You think?"

"Honey, I know. You will be the fiercest woman at the party. You will own that place. You hear me?" With both hands on his hips, Lafayette said, "Every man in that place is going to want to spend some time with you. Child, you are going to look so fucking good that Eric is going to regret the day that he let you slip through his cold, dead fingers. He's going to see what he's missing and he's going to work hard to get you back. You game?"

Sookie nodded like a little girl. This was the night that Eric was going to see her differently. He was going to realize that she is much more than someone that he could use as a sex toy or a political puppet. She was more than an opportunity. She wanted him to see her as the one that he let get away.

"I'm game."

Lafayette squealed, jumped up and down, and clapped his hands. "This is going to be so much fun but first, there's something that I have to do."

Sookie turned around in the chair and looked at him. "What?"

"Like you said, you are not going' have time for shopping. So, here's what we're going to do. The shopping is coming to you. I'll call some fashion houses and have them deliver some dresses and shoes here for you. We do your hair and nails. Girl, you are going to be the baddest bitch at the ball. Tonight, you are going to be Cinderfuckingrella."

Just as Lafayette put the phone to his ear, Sookie said, "Hey."

"What is it, hookah? I'm on the phone."

Sookie filled the cubicle with laughter. "Thanks."

Lafayette winked at her and started making his phone calls.

"Tonight, everything changes," Sookie said. She turned around and looked at her reflection. Maybe she could turn Eric's head ...or maybe even Godric's and Stan's. Who knows? It didn't matter much anyway. "Tonight things are going to change."


	8. Chapter 8

**A Marriage of Inconvenience?**

**I would like to thank everyone for the great reviews and the encouragement. Your private messages have been just wonderful and encouraging. I appreciate that you all have taken the time to read and review; no matter how nice they are or how critical. I appreciate them all. I hope that you all enjoy this flawed but sincere story.**

******The characters belong to Charlaine Harris and Allan Ball (Godric).**

**Addition: The story has only been going on for 2 nights and a day. Please, just give the story a chance. Some people automatically assume that Sookie is being petty and small. Give the story a chance. I haven't given any of the back story yet on Sookie or Eric. I haven't given any explanation as to why she expected things to be different or why his feelings suddenly changed. I promise, we'll get there. **

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The vampire that looked like an undead version Hugh Jackman walked in as if he owned the place. His chestnut brown hair was cut in a corporate businessman style and the side swept bangs set off his smoldering chocolate brown eyes. His everlasting and ever perfect mustache and beard were groomed perfectly. His handsome face carried the faintest hint of a smile. He knew that he looked damned good. The Ferragamo tuxedo fit his toned body as if it had been made especially for him and it was. The beautiful young lady on his arm completed his dashing look. He looked every bit the gentleman.

He looked around the elaborately decorated bar with boredom displayed on his face. He didn't try hide the fact that he didn't want to be there. He'd had other plans and the AP told him to cancel them. She didn't want to hear about his other plans. She didn't care. She needed for him to do a covert job for her. Covert, she said. The job was so covert that she didn't bother telling him exactly it was. He only knew that it involved the Viking and the fae. He was more than willing to do it because he didn't like the Viking. He hated his progeny even more and he loathed the area. It was beneath him. The bugs, mosquitoes, the hick people; he just couldn't stand it. The only reason he didn't defy the AP was because he wanted to meet with that delightful faery, Sookie. He looked around the room for her but she was nowhere to be seen. But whom he did see, made him want to turn around and walk out the doors.

It angered him that the Viking was the first choice. Stan wanted the faery princess for himself. He was just as worthy as the Viking. He wanted to be given the opportunity to meet with her alone but alas, it was not meant to be. When she'd met with Eric, all bets were off. She'd made her decision right then and there. No other vampire was given the chance to woo her. Stan stood by the doors of Fangtasia and stared at the vampire that had taken away his opportunity.

Eric was walking the floors of Fangtasia and mingling through the crowds as he too, looked for Sookie. She wasn't at home when he'd risen. She hadn't left him a note or sent him a text message. He hasn't received so much as a phone call from her. Her Were guards hadn't even seen her. When he called Alcide to see if Bassir was still with her, Eric was disappointed to hear that Bassir had lost her. Alcide told Eric not to worry because her kin was with her. Eric knew then that she was seriously thinking about leaving him. Her fae guards have taken over her security. She was always with her Weres during the day. She'd told him that she enjoyed their company. She never went out without them and now she has willingly thrown them to the side? This was not a good sign.

As soon as Eric walked into the club tonight, every supernatural in attendance greeted him. They told him how handsome and suave he looked in his flawlessly tailored tuxedo. The compliments always led up to one particular question. They wanted to know where his most charming wife was.

"I hope that she will be here," they'd say.

"You know how women are," he would say jokingly.

One guest even said, "I heard that she wasn't coming."

He laughed at that reply. "Supes gossip more than the humans," he said. That would get everyone to laughing and he would then excuse himself from their company and proceed along as if nothing was wrong even though everything was.

After greeting his guests, Eric went to his throne to have a seat. "Pam," he called to her softly.

Within seconds, his progeny was at his side. "Yes, master."

"Is she here?"

"Who?" Pam asked coyly.

"You know very well who I am speaking of. Is she here?"

"I haven't seen her." Pam stood at Eric's side. "She wasn't at home when you woke for the night?"

"No," he replied with a little more attitude than necessary.

Eric's eyes remained focused on the crowd. He saw Alcide and his date. They were having a conversation with Sam Merlotte and his new squeeze for the evening; whoever she may be. Alcide gave Eric a look that seemed to ask if Sookie has been found. Eric gave him a quick nod of his head before letting his gaze flit quickly over the crowd. There was no need in letting the Were know that he had no idea where his wife was.

"You've done an exceptional job on the decorations."

The club didn't look like the same vampire bar from last night. It looked like a ballroom. The place was perfectly decorated. There were striking black crystal centerpieces on each table that were filled with black and white tulips. The tablecloths were in two shades of shimmering black. Everything was extraordinary. It was better than he'd expected it to be. Even the music was better. KDED was not blaring through the speakers. A small vampire quartet playing stringed instruments were providing the night's music.

"I did my best and I'm glad that it pleases you. I must also add that you are particularly impolite. You've been here all of two hours and not once have you complimented me on how astonishingly beautiful I look this evening." Pam twirled around for Eric in her white ruffle layered mini dress with gold trim. Her gold Jimmy Choos were no doubt the favorite part of her outfit. Her beautiful blond hair was piled beautiful atop her head as curly tendrils decorated her face.

Eric looked to his right and smiled at Pam. "You know that you are gorgeous. You are the most beautiful vampire in the bar."

"Vampire?" Pam asked. "I am the most beautiful vampire? Really, Eric? Is that all you have for me after everything that I've done? This magical night only gets a lame compliment like beautiful from you?"

"Being," he corrected. "You are the most beautiful being in the entire building. No one has ever looked as beautiful as you look tonight. Every female here is in total awe of you. They are so embarrassed of your beauty, that they all considered leaving as soon as you walked into the room. No one has ever looked as stunning as you look tonight. How's that?"

Pam feigned embarrassment. "You do flatter me." She rested her hand gently on his shoulder.

Eric wanted to apologize to Pam for what he'd done to her last night but a master doesn't apologize to his child. So he did the next best thing. He reached up and placed his hand gently on hers and squeezed.

Pam squeezed his shoulder. "All is forgiven."

"Master," Clancy said as he approached the throne.

"Yes."

"A messenger has left this for you." Clancy handed Eric an envelope.

He opened it and read it quickly. He balled the piece of paper up and handed it back to Clancy. "Get rid of this."

Seconds later, Clancy was gone.

"What is it?" Pam asked.

"She's not coming."

Pam giggled. "You got lucky. Aren't you glad that you'll get to stay married to Sookie for another night?"

"Go and mingle, Pam. Meet some new supes. You're beginning to make me regret my compliment and apology."

Pam cackled as she walked away.

Eric got up from his throne and walked the room once more. He continued to work the room with false graciousness. He nodded to this one and that one without so much of a glance.

"Great party," a voice said from behind him.

Eric turned to see Stan Davis standing there.

He was surprised to see Stan. Pam had sent Stan an invitation but he'd declined. He told her that he had vampire business that he needed to take care of and he wouldn't be able to make it to the party. Pam was glad to hear it. She's never cared much for Stan. Neither does Eric. He couldn't help but wonder what has made Stan Davis decide to make such an abrupt appearance.

"Good evening," he said courteously. "I had no idea that you were coming."

Stan knew better than to mention that the AP had sent him. She would have had him staked the second she found out. So he shrugged his shoulders and looked around the room as nonchalantly as he could. "I changed my mind. I figured since my other plans fell through, I would come to your little gathering." As he looked around the room, he said, "I see that the ...uh, best of the best have arrived."

"There's no need to be insulting to my guests," Eric replied.

"Forgive me." Stan glanced around the room and asked, "Where is that delightful wife of yours?"

Eric gave Stan a cold stare. "She will be here."

Stan looked surprised. "Really? I was under the impression that she _wasn't_ going to be here."

"I'm sorry to say that your impression is erroneous."

"At least you've corrected me." Stan smiled innocently but Eric could see the deceit behind that smile.

In order to remain in control of himself, Eric changed the subject. "Have you tried the exotic bloods that we have here tonight? Pam has done a superb job in selecting only the best. The donors are from Tahiti and they've only been fed the ripest and sweetest fruits. I hope that you have a chance to sample them."

"Why thank you, Eric. I can't wait to try what you have on hand." He stared Eric in his eyes when he said that. "I'll bet that it's the sweetest blood in the world."

"I hope that you are speaking of the donors because there is a certain sweetness that you will _never_ get to try."

Stan grinned; fangs down. "I was speaking of the donors."

Eric laughed at the vampire. A pitiable laugh and he made sure that Stan didn't miss it. "Where's your date?"

Stan waved his hand about. "She's over there somewhere. Forgive me if she's not up to par but I didn't know that I was coming until the last minute."

Eric saw the young lady that Stan walked in with and she was quite attractive. "You have made a suiting choice. The only thing that I see wrong is that she came with you. I would think that would be her only flaw." Eric laughed at the insult. Stan didn't.

When a waitress walked by, Stan grabbed a glass of blood from the tray. After taking a sip, he asked Eric, "Do you have any idea when your wife will be arriving? I only want to say hello. I must say, she is quite the young lady. She has done a lot for the supe community since you two have been married. The '_Deserted Baby Vampire_' program that she came up with was a brilliant idea. The blood drive for the deserted vampires was an even better idea. I couldn't believe that she got the human government to go along with such a plan. She is somewhat amazing. I have to say, old chum, I am quite jealous."

"Sookie is mine," Eric growled.

Stan looked coldly at Eric through hooded eyes. It amused him to make the vampire angry. It also made him wonder why the AP would send him to tease the Viking in such a way. "I'm just making an observation. I'm surprised that you came here without her on your arm. I tell you, Eric, if she belonged to me, I would never let her out of my sight."

Eric stepped close to the vampire and asked, "Are you aching for a fight, Stan?"

"Not at all," he said as he took another sip of his blood.

"As I told you, she is _my_ wife."

"I know that. I know that," he repeated for emphasis. "I've only met her the one time at the vampire/fae summit in California. We didn't get to talk long because she was extremely busy. Everyone speaks of how charming she is. I only wanted to see for myself. I meant no harm. All I'm saying is that you are a very lucky vampire but obviously, you know that. But a word of advice, if I were you …" he trailed off.

This time, Eric's fangs slid down. "Do you want to do this tonight? Die, I mean. I would be more than happy to oblige."

Stan knew that if he had to battle Eric, he would lose. Eric is older and stronger. "Did I cause offense? I did not mean to. I was going to say that a treasure such as she should remain at your side at all times." The devious and cunning smile on his face said something entirely different.

"Walk away, Stan," Eric warned. "She is _my_ wife, _my_ lover. Sookie. Is. Mine."

As he walked away, Stan pointed in the direction of the doorway with his head. "That's good to hear but does she know it?"

Eric followed Stan's nod and there she was. He'd never seen her look more beautiful. A cascade of golden curls shimmered down and over her shoulders; falling beautifully to her waist. Her big, beautiful blue eyes sparkled and were filled with excitement and awe as she looked around the room. She looked as she did the first time he'd met her. Her beauty was so magnificent that she didn't need any makeup. Her cheeks were naturally glowing. Her full lips were pouty and pink. Her bright eyes finally landed on his. A small smile passed over her lips as he stared at her. He tried to look away but found that he couldn't. He didn't want to. As a matter of fact, every eye in the place was on her.

"What is she wearing?" Pam snapped. "What the fuck is she wearing?"

Sookie was wearing a red sequined gown with black trim. The dress hugged every curve of her body. The split was up to there. The red stilettos accentuated her shapely legs. The cleavage exposed the tops of the most beautiful pair of breasts he'd ever seen.

"What the fuck was she thinking when she chose that dress? Does she _not_ know the dress code? This is a _black _and_ white_ ball. She's ruined the entire party with her red dress. Why does she have to be different?" Pam was infuriated.

"Because she is," Eric remarked.

"You're only saying that because you love her. If she was anyone else, you'd throw her out on her ass. She is the only one here not following the fucking rules." Pam braced herself for the backlash for the '_you love her_' remark but she got none. He was outright taken with Sookie.

The vision before him reminded him of the first time he'd seen her descending the crystal staircase of her grandparent's home. His eyes remained latched onto hers as he swallowed an unnecessary gulp. "Isn't she the most beautiful creature here?"

Pam gave Eric a genuine smile. "I can tell that you've completely forgotten about me. How fickle we are," she said as she kissed his cheek.

His gaze remained on Sookie. He was helplessly and hopelessly enthralled with her.

"You need to go to her, Eric and you need to go to her now," Pam ordered.

He couldn't move.

"Godric shouldn't be entering _your_ party with _your_ wife."


	9. Chapter 9

**A Marriage of Inconvenience?**

**Thank y'all so much for your very nice and inspiring reviews and PMs. I needed the encouragement.**

**I appreciate that a majority of you do understand and realize that the story is only in the first 2 nights and so much hasn't been said or revealed. Please don't mistake what I'm saying as being rude. I appreciate each and every review that you take the time to post; be it good or bad. Y'all are the best and I can't thank you enough for your support and time. Y'all are just wonderful. **

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Godric walked in proudly beside Sookie. A wide grin spread across his handsome face. His tousled dark brown hair emphasized his stunning smile and his clear blue eyes. He knew that his eyes were his best feature. Even without the glamor, he had the humans swooning. They made him look dangerously sexy. His cool and calm demeanor only made his appeal more appealing. He stood over six feet tall; almost as tall as Eric. His tuxedo fit his broad shoulders and muscular body perfectly. He looked like a Roman god; if Matt Bomer was a Roman god. He knew that he was the most handsome vampire at the party. He also knew that he looked even more handsome with Sookie walking in beside him.

Just like Stan, he had hoped that when Sookie had come of age, she would have chosen him over the Viking. She had a choice of three of the most powerful and the wealthiest vampires in the country. She chose the second oldest vampire out of sheer coincidence. Eric wanted to meet the princess before his time and he took the sneaky route. He didn't go through the counsel as he was supposed to. He contacted her grandparents. Eric won the fae princess's heart by default.

But Godric was biding his time. He'd seen her at quite a few summits. She would be with Eric but not _with_ Eric. They worked the rooms together but _not_ together. The others may not have noticed but he did. He noticed everything about her. There was something about her that intrigued him. Not because she was fae but there was more to her; a sadness that he wanted to heal. There was something behind that smile and he was going to take the first opportunity made available to him to figure out what it is. He would then try to use it and win her away from Northman. Tonight, was just as good as any night; especially when he saw her without him.

When he saw her standing in the parking lot, staring at the door, he slowly approached her. He knew that if he'd moved too quickly, her fae guards would have killed him instantly. He knew that they were with her and armed. They would kill anyone that touched Sookie that wasn't the Northman. He would have been dead before he knew it. They always had the upper hand on their enemies. Cloaking came in handy.

"Mrs. Northman," he said as he greeted her.

When she turned to face him, his 'breath' hitched in his throat. He didn't remember her looking as stunning as she did tonight.

"Who are you?" Her voice danced on the wind.

"Forgive me," he said as he bowed. "I'm Godric."

If he didn't know any better, he'd have thought that a look of familiarity passed over her face.

"Forgive my rudeness," she said. "I'm very pleased to meet you." She gave him a slight nod as she proceeded to walk away.

Calling out to her, he said, "There's nothing to forgive, Mrs. Northman." Looking from her to the door, he said, "I thought that you would be here already with your husband."

She gave him a cold stare and an even colder smile. Sookie may have been alone but what happens between her and husband is not up for discussion with vampires; especially one that she doesn't know.

"Shall we?" Godric said with a sweep of his arms. Godric stood behind her; careful not to touch her in any way. When she walked ahead of him without responding, he went to the door and opened it.

When they walked in, the cold stare and smile were gone. A warm and caring smile was on her face for all to see. Every supe in the building was staring at them; one supe in particular couldn't seem to take his eyes off of Sookie and for him to be a vampire of no emotion and a vampire of total control, Eric didn't try to hide what he was feeling at all. The look of love and passion had a tremendous grip on him and it was made available for all to see. He didn't notice that Godric was with his wife until Pam had so eloquently pointed it out.

"Get your ass over there," she ordered him. "I'd hate for you to lose her. Now don't fuck this up... master."

Eric needed no more goading. Godric was with his wife. The look of love and passion were gone. Eric was ready to kill. He remained calm as he walked over to where Sookie was. He didn't like the thought of Godric walking in with his wife as if she belonged to him. Guests were walking over to them as if they were a couple. Sookie nodded and smiled elegantly as Godric did an un-vampire like thing and started shaking hands.

"Good evening," Eric said when he'd reached his wife's side. He stood Godric and Sookie. He then did something that he's never done around other vampires before. He took Sookie's hand into his own and held it tightly. Looking at her he said, "You are absolutely stunning."

If Sookie didn't know any better, she would have thought that Eric was expecting her to show up. The element of surprise had failed. In the end, she was the one that was shocked. He'd told her before that she's beautiful but never as he'd just done. She almost wanted to believe that he meant it. She opened her mouth to thank him but Godric spoke up instead.

"Why, thank you," Godric said as he bowed. Sookie smiled at his attempt at a joke. Even a couple of the Weres and vamps laughed at the joke. Eric decided to join in.

"Good one, old friend but I was speaking to my beautiful wife."

Godric ignored Eric and his gaze fell upon Sookie. "She is quite stunning, isn't she?" Looking around the crowd, Godric said, "Isn't she lovely everyone?"

Every supe within earshot agreed with what Godric said. They complimented Sookie on her hair and her flawless and make-up free complexion. They especially loved the red dress that she wore to the black and white ball. Pam was the only one that wasn't complimentary.

"Yes," Pam quipped. "Wearing red to a black and white ball is all the norm these days."

Sookie blushed at their words of kindness but not Pam's. "You all are too kind. Your compliments are embarrassing me. And Pam, you'll get over it."

Pam had the tiniest hint of a smile on her pale yet beautiful face. No one has ever talked to her like that and she had to admit, she kind of liked it.

"Nonsense," Godric said. "You know that your beauty outshines others. Your very lucky husband must tell you this with every look in your eyes."

Before Sookie could respond, Eric interrupted. "I must admit, I haven't told her nearly enough how wonderful I think she is."

Sookie's body stiffened at his words. Twice tonight he has shocked her and in less than thirty seconds. She couldn't believe he'd said them _and_ she didn't believe them. She thought that he was saying those things because she walked in with the vampire that she'd met in the parking lot. She wasn't in the mood for his games; not tonight.

As gracefully as ever, she thanked Eric. "You too are quite handsome this evening, Eric but excuse me everyone, will you? I'd like to go and speak with a few of our guests." Sookie walked away while Eric and Godric remained behind. The only guest that Sookie was in the mood for meeting with was Freyda.

Godric turned to face Eric once Sookie was out of earshot. "Your wife is …"

Eric interrupted his nemesis's comment. "What are you trying to do, Godric?"

"Are you being paranoid or are you regretting that you weren't the one to walk in with her?" Godric then had an afterthought. "You didn't know that she was coming, did you?"

Eric and Godric dropped their fangs on each other. The two vampires began to growl. When some of the others heard the growls, the vampires soon changed their stance. They pretended to be laughing. The guests went back to their chatting and socializing. Pam and Clancy moved in closer to where Eric stood. They knew that the growls weren't laughter. They knew that Godric was older than Eric and would have killed him. They would have died right along with him if a fight had ensued.

"Sookie is mine."

"Is that going to be tonight's mantra to keep me away from her?" Godric said.

"Stay away from my wife."

"I haven't any notions to take your wife away from you. She's made her choice."

Eric sneered at Godric. "Don't flatter yourself. The last thing I'm worried about is you taking Sookie away from me."

Godric eyed Eric suspiciously. "Your actions make me wonder. Is all not well in the land of Faery?"

Eric moved in closer to Godric. "What are you insinuating? Do you think that you have a chance with her?" Eric laughed confidently though he didn't feel it. "You will not have her. She is not leaving me."

Godric looked at Eric and asked, "Thou dost proclaim a little too much. Has the fae tired of you?"

Before Eric could stop himself, he had Godric by the lapels of his jacket. With quickness and precision, he punched the vampire three times before Godric knew he'd been hit. Clancy and Pam had flanked either side of him; ready to do Eric's bidding. Ready to kill if he'd asked them to.

Godric could've killed them all but he played the victim. Everything and everyone at the party stopped. Godric dangled from Eric's hand as blood trickled from his mouth. He looked like a helpless and defenseless rag doll.

Sookie was soon standing by her husband's side. "Eric!" she exclaimed. "Put him down right now!"

He released Godric's lapel and stepped away from the vampire. Godric pretended to not know what was going on or why Eric had attacked him. He shook his head as if he was hit harder than he really was. He even threw in a couple of backward staggers for show. "Why would you do that, Northman?"

Pam was smirking. "About fucking time," she said under her breath. "You should've killed he when he walked through the door."

"What is going on over here?" Sookie asked as she looked from Eric to Godric. When neither one answered her, she looked to Godric. "Are you okay?"

"I am fine," Godric said.

"Someone hand him a napkin," she said. "His mouth is bloody."

As Godric cleaned his bloody and already healed mouth, Sookie turned to Eric and asked, "What happened?"

"He angered me," Eric said. He kept his eyes on Godric. He wanted to rip the leg from one of the tables and stake him.

Sookie looked at Eric's hand and saw that he'd hit Godric so hard that it had split the skin on his hand. She took another napkin from the table and dabbed it at his hand. As his wound closed, Sookie patted his hand and held it. "How did he anger you?"

Eric looked down at Sookie and said, "He wants you."

"He said that?" she asked as she turned around to look at Godric.

Though he couldn't see her expression, Eric didn't like it. He didn't like that one bit. "May we talk in my office?"

She looked at Eric and said, "No. I don't want to go in there."

"Please," he said. "I just want to talk to you."

She was apprehensive but followed him anyway.

Once they were in his office, he closed the door behind them. When he turned around to face her, Sookie was looking around his office. She looked at the couch, the desk and the floor. She could only imagine the number of fangbangers he'd banged in this one space. She didn't want to touch anything in there so she stood stock still in the middle of the floor.

"Why would you want to bring me in here?"

"Because I want to talk to you."

"We could have talked at home."

"I need to talk to you now."

"Make it quick."

Eric didn't know where to begin so he decided to just start speaking. "You _are_ beautiful."

She was shocked by him yet again. She thought that he'd only said it out there because others were around but she could see that he meant it. It was in his eyes. "Thank you."

"I'm glad that you came. I wasn't sure if you were coming."

"I hadn't decided until the last minute to come since I wasn't invited." She eyed him suspiciously. "You looked as if you were expecting me."

"You surprised me last night with your decisions about our marriage. I figured that you would surprise me tonight by showing up."

She thought about what he'd said and it made sense so, she shrugged it off and waited for him to say what he wanted to say.

"I didn't realize that you knew Godric."

Sookie shook her head. "I don't. We met in the parking lot. He's very nice. He flatters me… or so he thought."

Eric smiled. He knew that Sookie wouldn't fall for Godric's bullshit.

"You shouldn't have hit him. That was so unbecoming of you."

He should've hit him. It made him feel better. "He bothered me."

Sookie almost laughed. "Jealousy is an ugly color on you."

He was going to deny his jealousy but decided against it. "I've never had a reason to be jealous. I hated seeing him walk in with you. It should've been me."

What in the hell was he up to? She could feel his sincerity but she'd felt that sincerity before. She didn't know whether to believe him or punch him square in the nose. She didn't know what to say so she said nothing. Neither of them said anything. They stood in the office and said nothing for a few minutes. Sookie decided to break the silence.

"Well, if there's nothing else …"

He spoke up quickly because he didn't want to share her with the others. He didn't want her to go. "You weren't home when I woke up this evening."

"I had plans."

There was a knock at the door. Eric growled, "Not now!" He continued to stare at Sookie. There was so much that he wanted to say. He just didn't have the words.

"Why are we in here?"

"I don't want to end this marriage."

Sookie's heart picked up speed and fluttered wildly. He does love her. He does want to be with her. She wanted him to say that he was a fool and he'd never mistreat her again. He was going to drop to his knees and tell her how much he's always loved her.

"We deserve another chance. Just give me another chance. We owe it to each other and to our people to make this work."

Sookie sighed. Why couldn't he just say that he wanted to make it work because he loves her? "I'm not doing this with you tonight. I came here because …"

Sookie was talking but Eric didn't hear anything that she'd said. He looked at her pouty lips and all he could think of doing was kissing her. He was filled with the desire to hold her. "My god, you are so beautiful," he whispered.

Sookie stopped talking immediately.

"You're beautiful," he repeated.

Eric gripped both of her shoulders in his hands. His gaze was excitedly looking over her face and her body. He raised his eyes to meet hers. His hands released her shoulders and crept up to her face. Sookie flinched at his touch but he remained gentle. He used his thumbs to brush over her cheeks. Her breathing became ragged. He leaned in to kiss her. She leaned in with him. She could feel his hardness pressing against her stomach. She knew that he wanted her. His lips brushed lightly against hers. She wanted to kiss him but she stopped herself. She stopped him.

"No," she said.

Eric couldn't believe what he was hearing. "What do you mean no?"

"Just as I said; no. I will not give myself to you like this. I believed in you before and look at what it got me. I won't fall for your charms this time. I am determined to stand my ground. You haven't earned me. You haven't loved me. You haven't cherished me. You misled me, Eric. I was made to believe that we were so much more than an arrangement. And to make matters worse you've cruelly mocked my love for you."

Eric stared at her as he searched for the right words.

"You may not love me but you will respect me."

Eric watched Sookie as she walked past him and to the office door. He wanted her.

"I have to say this to you before I go. I am insulted."

"It has never been my intention ..."

"It's never your intention, is it? The fact that you would try to kiss me in this office when you won't kiss me in our bedroom is what's insulting. You've been with those nasty whores in here and this is where you try to kiss me?"

Eric decided that he would tell her the truth. "Since we've been together, I swear to you, I've never been with anyone. You're all that I know."

She didn't believe him. She thought that he was only saying those things because he was jealous of Godric.

"I only wanted to …"

"I know what you wanted," she said as she turned away from him. Sookie composed herself before opening the office door. "Everything is decorated beautifully. I wish that I could've been a part of it."

"Sookie," he said. She didn't turn around to face him. She waited. "I'm sorry."

She knew that his apology wasn't sincere. He wouldn't be apologizing to her if she'd never told him that she knew about the party. "I just want to go out there and meet and greet your guests. I want to mingle with your friends. I want to be a part of this even if it is of my own doing. Will you excuse me?"

"Yes," he whispered. "I hope that you enjoy this night."

"Thank you," she said as she closed the door behind her.

"You do look beautiful tonight," Eric said to the spot where his wife once stood.


	10. Chapter 10

**A Marriage of Inconvenience?**

**I want y'all to know that I've written several chapters ahead. I just have to beta them. I have to beta them myself so it may take a couple of days. But once they're ready, most of your questions will be answered. There is a lot of conflicting info because it all has not been revealed. ****Also some people have mentioned that Eric wouldn't have hit Pam. He and Pam were fighting in Sookie's kitchen in the next to the last book. She threw water on them in order to get them to stop fighting. It's not out of his character to hit Pam as some would like to believe.**

**Thank y'all so much for reading and reviewing. I appreciate each and every review; especially the encouraging ones. **

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Sookie was happy to see Stan Davis leave. He was the most arrogant and self-centered vampire she's ever met. He had no depth to him and he had little offer when it came to carrying on a conversation. Everything was about him and what he wanted and what he's done. Everything was about power and money. She even felt sorry for his date. The poor girl looked absolutely miserable. When he left, Sookie almost jumped for joy but instead, she went about meeting and talking to the others in attendance. She happened upon a conversation being led by Alcide Herveaux. When he saw her, he gladly and willingly included her in the conversation.

"Sam and I want to thank you for the work that you've done with the young shifters and Weres that had no one to help them during their times of shifting. The orphaned Weres had nowhere to turn until the program was put into place," Alcide Herveaux said. "We can't thank you enough for what you've done for the pack members and shifters in our area. You and Eric have our thanks and our allegiance."

Sookie gave him a genuine smile. "There is no need to thank me, Alcide, Sam. I couldn't have done it without either of you. You two were the driving forces behind it. Please don't slight yourselves on my account. You two gentlemen deserve most, if not all, of the praise. Your caring attitude for the Weres and shifters is the reason this has happened. If not for you and your determination, it never would have happened."

Alcide blushed. Sam puffed up his chest with pride. Even their dates were filled with pride. Sookie was not one to take credit for something that she didn't do; be it good or bad. She wanted them all to see that the fae are not as selfish as some believed them to be.

"Thank you," Sookie said to Sam and Alcide. She raised her glass to them and the others followed suit. After Sookie gave the men their praise, they received pats on their backs and dozens of handshakes. They both looked at Sookie and thanked her again. She gave them a slight nod as she watched them enjoy their accolades.

When Eric and Sookie married, many vampires believed that the marriage would only benefit the fae. They didn't take to kindly to the marriage of a vampire and fae. Many of them talked of the powers of the fae; especially the powers of the fae princess. She is the most magical of her kin. They thought that she would be manipulative and underhanded. They'd encountered that with her kind before but Sookie, she was nothing like the rest of them. She was genuine and she was willing to help all kinds. Whenever they had a chance to speak with her, they let her know how appreciative they are of her. They felt that it was their duty to let her know that they acknowledge her kindness and selflessness. When she put herself on the line for them with the human government, that is when they fell in love with her.

The Supernatural Rights Council that Sookie and Eric have established with the human government gives every supe the same rights as humans. Sookie had a fight on her hands but she was not going to give up. She fought day and night. The vampires were seen as nothing more than leeches. She had proof of the contributions that the supes have made to the human world. They tried to sidestep her but she wouldn't allow it. Eric was with her. He showed them proof of the businesses that supes have in the human world and that supes have never discriminated against the humans. They hired them and gave them equal and fair pay. Sookie and Eric worked hard on their bill and they didn't rest until it was finally passed. That is what put the most powerful supernatural couple on the map. When they were able to infiltrate the human government without the means of war or manipulation, they solidified their standing in the supe community. No one defied the wishes of Sookie and Eric Northman.

As the guests praised Sam and Alcide for the good that they've done, Sookie looked up to see Eric staring at her from the corner. He almost looked as if he was proud of her. She almost smiled at him but instead she looked away.

"Excuse me," she said politely. "I'm going to mingle with the other guests but please, enjoy the night's festivities."

Sookie mixed and mingled with some of the other guests; including Pam.

"You are looking quite festive," Pam said.

Sookie studied Pam before she spoke to her. They have never gotten a chance to get to know each other. Whenever Sookie would make an effort, Eric would come up with some menial job that Pam would have to suddenly take care of. Pam would invite Sookie to the bar but she in the end, she and Sookie wouldn't have much time to get to talk. Eric would always be watching them as if he was waiting for something to happen. This was their chance. Sookie decided to have a meaningful and heartfelt conversation with Pam.

"Where's Freyda?"

Pam burst into a fit of giggles. "You don't beat around the bush, do you?"

"There's no need. I want to know who she is."

Pam shook her head no. "I can't tell you that. It's not my place."

Sookie walked over to the bar with Pam behind her. "I thought that he shared with you."

"He does," Pam responded.

"But you can't tell me?"

"I can't tell you and I won't tell you," she said.

Sookie liked her. She liked Pam's loyalty. She expected nothing less from her. He is her maker. "Would you like to go shopping with me? My cousin Claudine has given me three tickets to the Paris fashion show. I see that you have great style. I would love it if you would join me."

Because she knew that she was safe from bodily harm, Pam threw her arms around Sookie's neck as she jumped up and down. She even squealed. Once she was able to compose herself, she looked Sookie in her eyes and said, "Do you mean it? I'd hate it if you didn't mean it. I would be absolutely devastated if I couldn't go to that fashion show."

Sookie couldn't help but laugh. "I mean it," Sookie said.

"If you are playing games with me, I'd hate for our friendship to end right here." Pam thought about that comment and said, "Well, after the fashion show." She winked at Sookie and smiled.

Sookie laughed. "I do mean it and I'm not playing games with you. I don't want anything from you other than the chance to get to know you; if that's okay with you?"

Pam pinched Sookie's cheek and said, "It's utterly wonderful." Suddenly, just like a child that had lost her favorite balloon to the wind, Pam's mood changed. "He may not let me go."

"We won't let him deny you this, now will we?"

When Sookie stood up to go and talk to Eric, Pam stopped her. "I'll do it. If he says no to me, it won't be that big of a deal. He's said to no to me before."

"Are you sure? I can stand with you."

"Yeah, I'll do it." Before she walked away, Pam said, "You know that I love your dress. If I hadn't set the dress code, that's the exact dress I would've worn tonight."

Sookie chuckled as took a seat at the bar and asked the bartender to give her a glass of sweet absinthe. She looked around the room to see if she saw anyone that would closely resemble a vampire that Eric would be interested in. She saw no one. Her looking was in vain. It seems that Freyda did not make an appearance tonight. She figured if she had, she would have approached Sookie by now.

Sookie could feel Eric watching her from his throne. She could feel his want. She wanted to look at him but she remained focused on her drink.

"Are you enjoying yourself?" Godric asked.

Sookie gave him a slight nod. "Very much so," she replied. "I hope that you are." A jolt of fury hit her but she pushed it away and sent a jolt of annoyance.

Godric took the seat next to Sookie's. "I am. Tonight has been quite interesting. The highlight of my night was meeting you."

She didn't trust his kind words. He's already proven himself to be a phony with that innocent, wide-eyed look that he gave her when Eric hit him. She continued nursing her drink.

"Do you have any plans after the party?"

"I plan on going on home." She shifted in her seat and looked at the vampire. "Did you think that because you walked in the bar with me that it meant that I was your friend?"

Eric burst out laughing. When Sookie turned to look at him, he was still laughing. She turned away so that he would not see her smile. She also blocked the bond so that he couldn't feel her amusement.

Godric, on the other hand, was surprised at her bluntness. "There was nothing hidden in my question. Curiosity got the better of me."

"Obviously," she said.

Godric laughed heartily. He liked her verve and her spunk. He tapped the bar and told the bartender to bring him a Royalty Blood. When he'd gotten his drink, he said, "Everyone here is talking about you and Eric. They think that you two are the greatest couple to have ever been coupled."

Sookie blushed. She used to think that same thing.

"I must admit; I am quite envious of your Viking. Have you ever wondered what it would be like if you had chosen someone else?"

She didn't even have to think about her answer. "No," she said immediately. "For me, there is no one else. It was meant to be."

A sense of ease overcame her; ease and love. It wasn't because of her.

Godric sipped at his blood and nodded. "True love, huh?" he asked.

She only smiled.

Eric rested his ankle on his knee as he leaned back on his throne and smiled. Godric didn't stand a chance …or so he'd hoped.

"You know, I was one of the ones that had been chosen for you. If the Viking hadn't spoken to your grandparents before I'd had an opportunity to meet you, you would be mine."

Eric bristled at his comment. That's not the way it happened at all.

Sookie's face remained emotionless. The AP told her that there were two other vampires that were her best option if she left Eric. She didn't say anything about them being the runner's up if she hadn't chosen Eric. She has always been his. She was promised to Eric. If Godric was ever a consideration, she didn't know it. This was something that she would definitely have to talk over with her grandmother.

"He did and I'm not."

Eric was no longer bristling.

Godric was mesmerized by her. "I am enthralled with you. You are an incredible creature. If you don't mind my frankness, I can see in your eyes that you're not happy with the Viking. I would never overstep my boundaries by trying to pilfer you from him but if you ever need a friend, I am here for you."

Sookie looked him in his eyes and said, "You couldn't pilfer me if you tried."

Godric knew that he'd said too much. He'd overestimated himself. "Have I offended you?"

She didn't answer him. She looked at him as she went over the reasons for being at the party. At one time, she believed that she could get into another vampire marriage but she knows that it's not for her. She didn't want to be with Godric or Stan. She believes in love and faery tales. She believes in the happily ever afters. That's what she wanted for her life. She understood that supes were supposed to overlook the cheating and understand that sex is just that…sex. She should know better than anyone. She's a fae. Her kin sleep and procreate with one another. And for so long, she went along with supe world's idea of what a relationship is. She thought that she could handle it but now, she wanted what Eric led her to believe they had. She wanted what her grandparents have. Fintan married a human woman and brought her back to Fae and they've lived happily for many, many years; exclusively. Sookie wanted that. She deserved that.

"You may be a charming vampire to some but you are not what I want. Even if Eric hadn't talked to my grandparents, he would still be the one that I would have chosen." She gave a slight shrug and a half hearted smile.

Godric's demeanor remained cool but he was boiling on the inside. She was so infuriating and captivating. He wanted to know what was going on with her and the Viking. She didn't appear to be happy with him. He didn't treat her as his equal as far as he could see. What is this hold that he has on her? What had the fucking Viking done to deserve her?

In a cool tone, he asked, "What is going on with you and the Northman? He doesn't deserve you. I've seen you two together and you're the only one that ever looks starry eyed and in love. What has he done to deserve you?"

Sookie's eyes were cold and hard. Her lips pursed into thin lines as she struggled to take hold of her anger. Eric knew right then that Godric had overstepped his boundaries and that there would be no more interaction with Mrs. Northman. Everyone else in the bar seemed to know that as well. Their eyes shifted in the direction to where they were sitting.

She stood elegantly from her seat and looked in his cool blue eyes and said, "Did I somehow give you the impression that I would speak about my husband with you?"

Eric did his best to hide his smirk.

Godric was surprised by the answer that she'd given him. He expected her to open up to him. He expected her to see that she had a friend in him and so much more if she ever wanted to be free of Eric.

"What goes on between me and my husband is between me and my husband. It is none of your concern."

Quickly Godric tried to recover from his costly mistake. "I was only showing concern. I apologize to you and your husband."

Eric was thoroughly enjoying Godric's uncomfortable state. He didn't try to hide it either.

Sookie then looked at Godric for a long moment before speaking again. It was as if she was taking in everything that she'd learned about him. He came off as being more than what he actually was. She wasn't impressed with him.

"Goodnight, Godric. It was a pleasure meeting you."

Before she could walk away, he spoke up. "Is there a chance that I will see you again?"

She didn't answer him. She started walking over to where Eric was sitting. She didn't have to walk far because he met her halfway. "I think that I'll be going home now. Will you tell Pam to call me? I want to tell her that everything was absolutely lovely."

Eric looked down at Sookie and said, "You can tell her yourself while you two are in Paris. She left awhile ago to begin packing."

"She can go?"

"Yes."

Sookie was so surprised that she wrapped her arms around Eric's neck. "Thank you." Once she'd realized what she'd done, she stepped away from him and said it again. "Thank you but we're not leaving for a few months. There's no need for her to pack so soon."

It made him feel good to see her so happy; both of them as a matter of fact. "She doesn't care. She's happy that she's going to get the chance to know you."

Sookie wanted to tell him that she and Pam could've gotten to know each other years ago if he hadn't been such a jerk but she didn't. She held her tongue. "Well, I'll see you tomorrow tonight."

It pained him to hear that. If he let her go home without him, he knew that he wouldn't see her until tomorrow night because they no longer shared a room. He didn't want to wait until tomorrow night to spend some time with her. "I can go with you," he said. "I can go home with you if you're ready to leave."

Sookie frowned a little and shook her head. "No, thanks. You can stay here. My guards are with me. I'll be safe."

Before she could go, Eric reached out to her and rested his cool hand on the small of her back. Her heart began racing when he stroked his thumb over her skin. "I'll come with you."

"You don't have to."

"I know." Eric called Clancy over to him.

"Yes, master."

"Sookie is ready to go home so we are leaving."

"Yes, master."

"If anyone asks …"

Sookie looked at Eric and said, "You are not leaving without telling your guests goodnight."

So that's what they did. Standing together, with Eric holding her hand, they stood on the platform that housed Eric's throne and they thanked the partygoers for coming. They told them to continue on with their fun and wished them all a goodnight.

And when a fae wishes you a goodnight, it just might come true.

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**A/ N: Don't take this little hint of sentiment to mean that Sookie has forgiven Eric. He still has a lot of groveling to do …and the night isn't over just yet.**

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	11. Chapter 11

**A Marriage of Inconvenience?**

**Thank y'all so much for reading and reviewing. I appreciate the time, reviews, alerts, and favorites. **

**For those of you that read the A/N that I had in the previous chapter, I would like to say that I was wrong for what I posted in response to someone's review. I should have handled it in a different way. Because I didn't, I apologize for any offenses that I may have caused any of you. I offer you my sincerest apologies.**

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Once she'd showered, Sookie put on her nightgown and looked around her empty bedroom. It was 3:00 AM and she wasn't sleepy. Claudine was doing her own thing as she usually does. She wasn't going to call Lafayette or Kennedy. It was too late for the humans and they were more than likely asleep. Her only option was to watch a little TV. She didn't want to sleep alone and she didn't want to sleep with Eric so she decided to sleep with a good movie. Maybe a good comedy was on. She liked laughing herself to sleep. It was a hell of a lot better than crying herself to sleep. So she grabbed an extra blanket from her closet and a pillow from her bed and headed downstairs to the TV room.

As she flipped through the TV stations, just as before, she was followed. Eric came into the room to join her. It made her feel uneasy. She felt that he was up to something. She hated to be cynical but after almost six years of being married to him, she knew when something wasn't right. He'd complimented her all night long. He held her hand in front of other supes. He stared at her like some love struck teenager and he watched her every move. She had every right to have that cynical feeling.

"So," he said as he flopped down on the couch opposite hers. "What did you do this morning?"

"Why?"

"I want to share your day with you." He said it as if it was a regular routine.

"Why? Do you think that because we said goodnight to your guests tonight that I am going to just magically forget about everything you've done to me?"

Eric looked surprised. "I only asked because I am interested in how you spent your time. You're quite suspicious of me."

"Don't I have a reason to be? You've never cared about my day."

He shrugged his shoulders. "I know but I want to know."

"It's because of Godric, isn't it?" She smirked. It took six years and another vampire to make him notice her.

"No, it's not because of Godric. You usually leave me a note to let me know where you're going or when you'll be back. I figured that since you didn't leave me a note, you'd want to share it with me. Verbally."

"Things aren't quite the same, Eric. And anyway," she added, "you go out without leaving me notes or giving me explanations. What's the big deal about me doing what you do?"

Eric sat a little straighter in his seat. "We're talking about you, not me."

Sookie agreed. "That's true but maybe we should talk about you and your fangbangers and Freyda. Maybe we should we talk about your blatant disregard for me and our marriage. Do you want to talk about that? If you do, then I'm more than ready."

"I told you that I've never cheated on you," Eric said.

Sookie chuckled. "Yeah, right."

He'd soon blurred in front of her. He took her face in his hands. "You know when I'm lying, Sookie." He looked deeply into her eyes and repeated it. "I've never cheated on you."

She'd believed in the bond in the past and she was let down by it. She couldn't trust it but she could see that he was telling the truth. She didn't want to see it. He'd lied to her before when she thought that he was being truthful. She didn't want to let her guard down to only be made a fool of once more.

"Why didn't Freyda come to the party?"

"I don't know and I don't care. Freyda is of no consequence to me right now. I only want to talk about you and your day." He brushed a strand of hair from her cheek.

She pushed his hand away. "You don't have to do that. We're at home now. There's no one here to see you doing it."

Eric was hurt but concealed his pain as only he can. "I just wanted to …"

"I know what you wanted. You wanted to be nosy." She decided that she would tell him how she'd spent her day. "I went to the salon to get my hair styled. I got a mani/pedi. I chose a dress to wear for your party. I went to the party in the hopes of meeting Freyda, Godric, and Stan."

Eric stood tall. "You went in the hopes of spending time with Godric and Stan?"

"No. I went in the hopes of _meeting_ them," she said. "I was looking into my options."

"What have you decided?"

"I've decided that I'm going to keep my options open."

"Did Godric or Stan help you decide?"

Sookie shook her head no. "Stan was too self-centered and Godric …I don't know. There's something about him. It's like he wanted revenge against you because I'm yours."

Eric perked up a little. "You're mine?"

"Only in public," she replied.

"You don't mean that."

Using his line against him, she said, "Look into my eyes and tell me if I don't mean it."

He did as she asked and he saw what he didn't want to see. "Tell me what I can do to make things better with us."

"Do you really want to know?"

"I do, Sookie."

"Did you have the party for Freyda?"

"Yes."

"Is that why you didn't tell me?"

"Yes."

"Why throw a party for her?"

"She's moving here."

His other woman was moving in their state to be closer to him. He was going to allow it. "To be closer to you?" Sookie asked.

"Sookie, we can talk about Freyda later. We need to discuss us. We need to talk about our chances."

Sookie didn't want to discuss their relationship. She didn't want to talk about their chances. She wanted to know why this Freyda was so important that she deserved a party. "What is Freyda to you?"

Eric fell silent.

Sookie waited.

Still, he said nothing.

"And you say that you want to make this better?"

Eric's eyes were pleading with Sookie. "I do want to make things work. I want to show you that I am not what you think I am. Tell me what I can do to make things better."

"It's simple. Tell me about Freyda. Who is Freyda?"

He returned to the kneeling position and took Sookie's hands into his. "I can't tell you right now. There's a lot that you don't understand."

Sookie looked sadly at Eric. "Just stop it, Eric. There's nothing that you can do. Obviously you have been playing games with me since the very beginning. You led me to believe that you loved me. You said that this union wasn't just an arrangement, Eric. Do you remember saying those words to me? Last night when you said those hateful things to me, it was as if nothing has ever happened between us."

He remembered exactly when he said them. "I do."

"The bond would be flooded with everything that you said that you felt for me. You told me that we were meant to be and then suddenly, without warning, you take it away. There was no explanation, no reasoning. One day, you decided that you didn't have feelings for me. You decided that you were going to make my life with you a living hell. The fangbangers, the anonymous trips; I let it all slide because I loved you, Eric. I wanted to be strong and let the nature of the supes prevail. I was wrong. I couldn't let it go. That's why I can't do it any longer."

"Sookie, there are some things that you may not understand."

She looked at him and chuckled. "How did I know that you were going to say that? I'm tired, Eric and I don't want to live like this anymore."

A flash of pain ran across Eric's face. He didn't respond. Instead he stared at Sookie's unhappy face. He wanted to go back to the days when she loved him and believed in him. He wanted to go back to the days of laughter. He knew that words wouldn't work with her. He knew that if he was going to get her back, it wasn't going to be based on what he said but what he did. He wanted a second chance.

"Why did you marry me?"

"You know why," she said as she stood up.

"Tell me," he said as he stepped in front of her. He wanted her realize that it wasn't over. He could make this work. He wanted her.

Sookie exhaled shakily. She had to build up her strength in order to remain strong. She was going to tell him that she used to love him. Suddenly, she was hit with a wave of nausea. Her head began to spin and she began to lose her balance. Eric caught her before she fell to the floor. He cradled her in his arms.

"Sookie," Eric's voice was trembling. "What's wrong?"

She almost leaned her head against his chest. "Put me down," she said. "I just haven't had much to eat today. I was busy getting ready for the party."

Eric reluctantly set her down on her feet. "Are sure that you're okay?"

"I'm fine."

"If you can't walk, I can carry you up to your room. It's no problem."

"I'm fine. Goodnight," Sookie said as she walked past him.

"Wait," he called out to her. "You didn't answer my question."

"Don't be stupid."

"Why did you marry me?"

Sookie spun around and looked at him. She couldn't believe that he was asking her such a stupid question. She wanted to throw a ball of light at him and hit him square in the chest; sending him flying across the room. When she didn't answer him, he answered his own question.

"You really loved me. You still love me," he said it as if the words surprised him. He took a step towards her. She took a step back.

"Are you serious?" she yelled at him. "Tell me that you're playing dumb."

Eric had a blank look on his face.

"Did you think that because you were playing games that I was? You're gonna stand there and tell me that you've never known that I love you? Did the bond lie? You couldn't feel what I felt for you? When you looked into my eyes or when we kissed you couldn't see it? Feel it?"

What was he supposed to tell her? He couldn't tell her that he was led to believe that she could manipulate the bond. She had the ability to make him feel what she wanted him to feel. He thought that she was making a mockery of him when he fell for her. He said nothing.

Sookie walked over to him and slapped him hard across his face. "I did everything for you," she yelled at him through tears. "Everything! You stand there and act like you didn't know! Well, I guarantee you this, Eric Northman, whatever I felt for you is no longer an issue! I'm done with you! There is nothing that you can say or do that's going to change my mind!"

For the first time since her rant, Eric was able to answer her. "I'm sorry that I mocked you."

"Now, you answer me the same question. Why did you marry me? Did you ever feel anything for me?"

She looked longingly at him. Last night he told her that it wasn't in his nature to love. He told her that she didn't go blindly into this arranged marriage. She knew what she was getting into when they married. He was right but things weren't as they appeared. She wasn't wrong in the hints of affection that she would get from him. It wasn't in his nature to share and talk with her. It wasn't in his nature to take moonlit walks around her grandparent's gardens and ponds. The gifts, the hand holding; it was real. He had to have felt something for her at one time. It wasn't a dream when he'd told her that they weren't an arrangement. It wasn't all in her imagination.

Silently, she asked him again. "Did you ever really love me?"

"Sookie, I …"

"You what, Eric? You didn't mean to make me feel the feelings that I had for you? You didn't mean to share and talk with me as we walked through the gardens of Faery and sat by the pond?" Her bottom lip began to tremble but she stopped that quickly. She refused to cry over him again. "You want your gifts back? If I could give it all back to you, I would!"

Eric took Sookie into his arms and pulled her to him and kissed her. She pulled herself from his arms and stared at him in amazement. She wiped her mouth with the back of her arm. She was mortified at what he'd just done.

"Did you think that kissing me would make things better? I hope that you don't think that a kiss is going to make me fall at your feet. If that's what you thought, then you are sorely mistaken."

Eric knew that there was only one thing for him to do. He had to tell her the truth. She'd have to believe him. Just like earlier, he knew that when she looked into his eyes, she'd see the truth.

"Don't leave me, Sookie. I love you."

She didn't believe him for a second. He said it so fast that it she could barely understand a word he'd just said. He was only saying it so that she would be the way that she used to be. No; she wasn't going to do that. She wasn't going to fall for another line.

"Fuck you, Eric Northman!"

Sookie spun around and left the room. Though her head was held high and her dignity and self-respect were still intact, her heart was still broken. It made her sick to think that he would say that he loved her to keep her around. Deep down, she knew that he didn't mean it. They were nothing more than words.


	12. Chapter 12

**A Marriage of Inconvenience?**

**Thank you all for the reviews and the time that you have given to me and my story. I know that I said that I have written chapters ahead and I have but I'm may not be able beta everyday and post every other day. I will do the best that I can when my RL doesn't get the best of me. **

**The characters belong to Charlaine Harris but the story is my idea.**

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Eric watched her as she slowly climbed the stairs. There was something wrong. He was concerned with her planning to leave him but there was something wrong with Sookie. The fae women are usually very strong and extremely healthy. Not for a second did he buy that _'I have eaten much_' excuse. Sookie could have gone days without eating and she wouldn't have almost fainted. She was hiding something from him. He called after her but she kept walking. She never turned around to face him. She continued upstairs as if she hadn't heard him. After realizing that she wasn't going to come to him, Eric decided that he'd take care of some business before going to his lonely and empty bedroom.

He went into his office to make a couple of phone calls. His first phone call was the more important of the two.

"What do you want Eric. I don't have time for you right now," Fintan said.

It was obvious that there wouldn't be any pleasantries. They needed to get down to business. "You know that Sookie wants to leave me."

Fintan laughed. "She's not going anywhere. She has already come to us to ask to end this allegiance. I told Sookie that she needed to stay with you until the required amount of time." He cleared his throat as he continued. "Her grandmother agrees that she stays with you. She understands how important this marriage is to our people; yours as well."

"Your granddaughter is determined to leave me. Nothing is going to make her stay; not even the alliance. She has looked into going into another union with other vampires."

Again Fintan laughed. "You have been married to her for the last six years and you are as simple as any vampire I've had the displeasure of meeting. You don't know her at all, do you? She's not going to do that. And if she decides to leave you, you're a vampire. You'll get over it."

"You lied to me," Eric growled into the phone.

"And?" Fintan replied.

"She does love me."

"She's outgrowing that love. She can't waste it on the likes of you. You are no more than an arrangement. You both knew that. What was I supposed to do… let her think that she has a future with you? When I saw that she was falling in love with you and you, even though you may not want to believe it, were falling in love with her, I couldn't allow that. Your marriage is not a marriage of love. It's an arrangement."

Eric couldn't believe what he was hearing. He believed that Fintan had Sookie's best interests at heart. It never would have occurred to him that he would be as cruel and as callous as he's being with her feelings. A jolt of reality hit him hard. He was no different than Fintan.

"She never manipulated the bond to make me believe what she wanted me to believe. You said that she had the ability to make people feel things and believe things that weren't true. You said that she could bend people to her very will. I believed you." It was easy for him to believe it because he'd seen her do it with vampires and the Weres. When there was a conflict that could not be settled with words, Sookie's voice would bring calm and peace when there was none. There was no reason why he shouldn't believe that she had done it to him.

"I believed you," Eric repeated.

"As you should have," he said. "I was telling you the truth."

"But she didn't use it on me. Your words have destroyed us. You have betrayed your granddaughter, her happiness."

"_You_ have destroyed her." He said the words as if it wasn't a matter of concern. "You can't blame me for what you've done."

"I'm not going to lose her."

"You will," Fintan replied. His voice was filled with certainty. "I know my Sookie. I know that she will decide to stay with you until the alliance is completed. She would never condemn an entire race to death or dishonor because of her unhappiness. That is not how we raised her. She will fulfill her duties as ordered. She will continue to be your wife in the earthly realm but I warn you, vampire. You will not keep her. Once the alliance is over, she will return home to her people and marry the fae that I've chosen for her. They will carry on the Brigant name with pride."

"I will kill you."

Fintan believed him. He could hear it in the vampire's voice but sadly, Eric would never get the chance. He also believed that Eric has always loved Sookie. His pride of believing that he was being manipulated wouldn't allow him to show it. Fintan knew that. He'd never meant to hurt anyone; least of all Sookie. Everything that he's done, they were done with good intentions. Sookie's well being has always been Fintan's main concern.

"I did it to protect her and our bloodline. You can't love her the way one of her own kind can. Once your contract is up, let her come home to her family. Keep doing what you're doing. You're doing a great job."

"You used me to hurt her."

When Fintan laughed, it was filled with harshness and reality. "I didn't use you to hurt her. You were doing what vampires do. It's in your nature to hurt and destroy. She knows this now. She knows that she can't have true happiness with you. My granddaughter will bounce back from this. She is strong and resilient. She takes that after her grandmother. What surprises me is that she has tolerated it for as long as she has."

"For years, I've resented her because I believed her to playing me for a fool. Because of my actions, I fear that I've lost everything that has ever mattered to me."

The primal and deadly vampire of old, made an appearance. His anger had completely boiled to the surface. He was no longer the vampire of the fae/vampire alliance, he was the vampire that has killed many fae and drained them of their life force. He was the vampire that was out for revenge and he was going to have his revenge.

"If I ever see you, I will drain you of every bit of your life. I swear on all that you love that I will kill you. Believe me, Brigant. This is not a threat."

"Stop being so fucking dramatic, vampire." After a long and curious pause, Fintan asked, "Has she stopped sleeping with you, vampire?"

Eric believed the question to be one of surprise. Why would Fintan care if Sookie and he were still sleeping together? They've never gone one night without making love. It's been that way since they married. They've always made love. Well, that is, until last night. Fintan didn't know that.

"No, she has not. We are married. She has never denied me and I've never denied her."

Fintan fell silent. Eric could almost feel the smugness ooze out of the fae's body.

"Does that concern you, faery?"

He didn't answer Eric's question. "Once Sookie has returned home, your life can back to the way it was. All will be well in the world as we know it."

This time, Eric laughed menacingly and maliciously. "When you are dead, all will be well in the world as we know it," Eric said before ending the call.

Eric paced back and forth in his office. He didn't know what to think. He'd been used to make Sookie resent him and grow to hate him. He'd unwittingly helped Fintan in making her regret the day that they'd met. In the beginning, Eric did make Sookie believe that he'd had feelings for her and for good reason. He did. He loved being with her. The anticipation that he used to feel when he knew that he would see her, made him feel almost human again. When she would touch his shoulder or hold his hand, the strangest feelings used to come over him. Feelings that he enjoyed. He needed them. And Eric had let Fintan take that away. As he thought of the damage that he'd done and the proving that he was going to have to do to in order to keep her, his phone began to ring. Hesitantly, he answered.

"Eric," Freyda said.

"What?"

"Is that how you respond me? _What_? I can't believe you. I travel over four thousand miles to see you and this is the reception that I get? I would expect that from Pamela but surely not from you." She shook her head at the thought of Eric dismissing her as he has. "I never in a million years would have expected that from you. Has the little woman done something to upset you?"

"You don't talk about her."

"You always say that. I figured you'd be over that by now because I always talk about her."

"I'm not in the mood for you right now. What do you want?"

"I've called to apologize for not appearing at the party tonight. Lord Worthington came into town and I just had to spend time with him. I hope that you aren't upset because I didn't show up tonight. I didn't call you because I didn't think that you would mind. You know how he likes to spoil me whenever he sees me." She began to squeal as a human woman would. "You'll never guess what he bought for me."

"I don't care."

Neither did she. She was going to make him hear it whether he wanted to or not. She continued talking about the gift that Lord Worthington had bestowed upon her. "He gave me an emerald and diamond pendant with matching earrings. Can you believe it? It had to have cost him a fortune. He then asked me if I wanted to spend the summer with him in Greece. I just had to say yes."

Eric didn't reply. He didn't care about Lord Worthington or the jewelry that he'd given to Freyda. He couldn't care less about the summer trip to Greece.

"You're not mad about that are you?"

Eric sighed. "As I said to you before, I really don't care."

Freyda began to pout. "You're not even a tad bit jealous?"

"Not in the least."

"You don't care that I'm going on a vacation with your sworn enemy?"

"I don't."

"Testy, aren't we?" she asked lightheartedly.

He ignored her sarcasm. "I will say that I'm happy about one thing; your call."

She perked up a little. "Really? Why?"

"Because I don't want to see you anytime soon," he answered her. "Don't come back here until I call you. There are things that I need to take care of."

Freyda giggled gleefully. "Is it your little faery princess? Is she okay? Has she finally wrapped you around her glittery little finger? Have her sweet charms finally won you over?" The giggles turned in fits of laughter. "She is quite powerful to make you turn on your own. They say she is quite the little faery."

"Don't worry about Sookie. Just do this one thing for me. Stay away."

"Are you asking me or are you telling me?"

"Whichever one is going to keep you away," he replied.

"I'd prefer it if you'd ask me." She was no longer giggling gleefully or bursting into fits of laughter. She hated to be told what to do. No one told her what to do. She wasn't a child.

"Take it as you wish; stay away."

The harshness in her voice from earlier was slowly easing away. "What about my party? Will you be throwing me another one? I so wished that I could've made an appearance tonight. I heard that she showed up in a beautiful red dress to a black and white ball." Laughter filled the other end of the phone line once again. "I'll bet money that Pam had a fit."

Eric decided to dispute that claim. "At first she did but she and Sookie seem to be making a step towards getting to know one another."

The laughter stopped. "And you are okay with this?"

"I am."

"Hmm," she replied. "What has changed your mind about the fae and the vampire becoming friends? You never wanted that to happen before. Why now?"

"I owe you no explanation. It was nice speaking with you. Now, if you don't mind, I have to go. I have to go to Sookie. And as I said before, you will stay away. You can take that as a question, request, or a demand. It doesn't really matter just as long as you heed my warning."

Slowly, she said okay. "I will stay away. But I promise you, I will see her. Goodnight, Eric."

"Freyda."

Eric looked at the phone as he put it back in its cradle. He knew that she meant what she'd said. He knew that it was going to impossible to stop her. She has always been headstrong and determined. If there was something that she wanted to do, Freyda always made a way. Eric knew that he had a problem on his hands. On the one hand he had to deal with Fintan and on the other he had to deal with Freyda.

Eric sat on the couch in his office and leaned forward thoughtfully, resting his elbows on his knees. When Sookie talked about how much she'd once believed that he'd actually felt something for her, he could hear the hopelessness in her voice when she came to realize that it was all a joke; or so she'd thought. He thought of her eyes when she said that he'd made a fool out of her and an unusual chill filled him. He wondered how much time he had left with her.

He recalled how proud he was when Adele and Fintan Brigant told him that he was the chosen one. He was the one that she would be promised to. He could tell that Adele was the only one that was excited about it. Fintan was less than pleased but he understood why the Viking was the better choice.

Little did Eric know that Adele had been following him. She took to watching his every move. He was cunning, smart, brave, and self-assured. He had the characteristics that her granddaughter deserved in a mate. When she'd approached Fintan with the suggestion, he thought that the idea was absurd but Adele's prodding and insistence won him over. Fintan has never been able to say no to his one true love. The night that he was to meet Sookie, Adele placed her hand to his cheek and said, "You are the right choice." She placed her hand on his chest and smiled. He couldn't help but wonder what she would think that of him now.

Suddenly, Eric was filled with an unbearable ache.

"Sookie!" he called out.


	13. Chapter 13

**A Marriage of Inconvenience?**

**I want to thank y'all for reading and reviewing. I appreciate y'all so much. Your response to the story has been great. I hope that y'all enjoy this chapter as well.**

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The lack of food wasn't what was wrong with Sookie. She knew it when she woke up this morning. Lafayette confirmed it to her when he asked her if she was okay. It made her all the more determined to want to end this marriage. She couldn't trade one loveless marriage for another. What good would that do? That wasn't the answer. She couldn't see herself being married to Godric or Stan. She had no choice but to stay married to Eric. They could stay married but lead separate lives. They've been doing it. They can continue doing it.

After thinking things over, she realized that she didn't want to go back home. It would have been nice to be around her kin again but that's not what she really wanted. She loved the earthly realm and all that it has to offer her. It was her home now. She had friends here. She had a life here; even if it was without Eric. It was a life that she enjoyed. She knew that she would be able to make it on her own.

As Sookie basked in her thoughts, a feeling of discomfort and pain wracked her body. Sookie fell onto her bed and wrapped herself tightly in her blankets. Her teeth were chattering and she couldn't stop shaking. Her heart was beating in an irregular rhythm. When she took the time to think of what it meant, she tried choking back her tears. It didn't work. Sookie felt the warmth as it began to fall down her cheeks. She knew what was happening to her.

Eric began banging on her door. "Sookie!" he yelled.

She closed her eyes in order to drown out his banging and his voice. She was hoping that the darkness would hide the pain and the noise but it didn't work.

"Sookie!" he called again.

"Go away," she whispered. "I'm fine."

"Let me in!"

"Go away," she repeated. "My grandmother is coming." Just as the words passed her lips, Adele Brigant popped into Sookie's bedroom.

Adele went to the bedroom door and opened it. Eric was standing on the other side looking wide-eyed and concerned. Just as she did only a few short years ago, she reached out and placed her wrinkled yet soothing hand to his face. "You can go on, Eric. She'll be fine. Gran's here now."

He tried looking past her in order to see Sookie but she was out of view. "But I want to be here," he said. "She might need me." Adele could see in his eyes and hear in his voice that he meant it.

"I won't," Sookie replied in a feeble voice.

Looking over her shoulder, Adele said to her granddaughter, "You stop that, now. This may be your home but I will not tolerate rudeness. I didn't raise you to be that way."

"Yes ma'am," Sookie replied. She'd quickly humbled herself to her grandmother.

Turning back to Eric, she smiled. "I know that you want to be with her but I'm here. I'll take care of her for now. Just give her time," Adele said as she looked into his eyes. "All she needs is a little time." She didn't give Eric a chance to respond to her. She closed the door in his face but she did it with a smile. Adele walked over to Sookie's bed and she lay down with her. Scooping Sookie into her arms, she began to cradle her.

"It's going to be alright," she said.

As she nestled into her Gran's embrace, she asked, "How can you be so sure?"

"Because I'm old that's why," she said. Sookie laughed as Gran kissed the top of her head. As Sookie's pain began to slowly subside, Adele decided to entertain her with the stories of old. "Have I ever told you the love story of Fintan and Adele Brigant?"

Sookie shook her head no. Gran had told her that story a million times over and Sookie loved hearing it every time. "Will you tell it to me?"

"It's the love story to end all love stories." Adele began to caress Sookie's head. "It was 100 degrees hotter than hell that day in June. The breeze only made things worse." Adele's old world southern twang always made an appearance when she told the love story of Fintan and Adele Brigant. "But on this particular hotter than hell day in June, this handsome young man appeared on my daddy's back porch. He didn't wait for daddy to say come on up and have a seat. He didn't wait for daddy to offer him a cool drink. He didn't even say hello. No, he did none of the things that a gentleman caller is supposed to. He sat right down in the rocker next to daddy's as if he was at home."

Sookie looked up at Adele and asked, "What did great granddaddy do when he did that? I'll bet that he was as hot as fire."

She started laughing. "He was. Daddy looked him up and down and said, 'Boy, don't make me go and get my shotgun. Get off my damned porch.' Fintan sat there and smiled at daddy. That made him even madder. Daddy hollered out to me and said, 'Dele, get my gun! Bring me two shells. You hearing me, gal?' Any other gentleman caller would have fled just as soon as daddy asked for his gun but not him. Fintan smiled but didn't budge an inch. He looked daddy square in the eyes and said, 'Mr. Joseph Hale, I'm not going anywhere. I've come here with a proposal. I want to marry your daughter.'"

"What was the proposal?" Sookie asked as she giggled. She knew what was coming next.

"That was it!" Adele said as she threw her arms out by her side. Both women filled the room with laughter. "Once I'd gotten daddy's gun and two shell, I sneaked up to the screen door and I eavesdropped. When I heard him say that he wanted to marry me, I was mad. He hadn't even called on me and he had the audacity to ask daddy if he could marry me. Daddy didn't have to answer him. I looked Fintan in his eyes and said, 'I don't even know you. What makes you think that I would give you the time of day?' You know what he did?"

"Uh-uh," Sookie said.

"He laughed." Adele began to laugh at the memory. The look on her face told Sookie that her Gran could see it all happening as if they'd gone back to that hot day in June. "Though he was rude, I have to confess, he was quite nice to look at. I think it was his eyes that did me in."

"What did you see in them?"

Tweaking Sookie's nose, she said, "Everything."

Sookie giggled and swooned as she sat up in bed. "Then what happened?"

"I went outside on the porch just as he stood up. I stood toe to toe with Fintan and said, 'Even if my daddy says yes, the final say is mine.' He said to me, 'I wouldn't have it any other way.' I was beyond surprised, Sookie. This unknown and extremely handsome man wanted to marry me. Plain ol' me. I had never seen this man anywhere in town. I'd never heard the name at all but I was intrigued by him, I must say."

Sookie's heart began to beat faster as she listened to the love story of Fintan and Adele Brigant. It always made her feel better. "What did great granddaddy say? Did he say yes?"

Adele threw her head back and laughed. "He said 'Hell naw you ain't marrying my daughter! We don't know you or your people. I don't know where you're from. Hell, you could be that bank robber the cops are looking for. What makes you think that I'd hand my only daughter over to the likes of you?' Fintan looked at me as he talked to my daddy. He said, 'Because I'll love her until the day that I die. She will be my reason for waking up every morning. She will be the reason that I will always try and be the best man that I can be. She will never want or need for anything. I swear to you that she will be the only one for me in this lifetime. No one will ever love her as I do.'"

No matter how many times she heard the story, Sookie always cried. "And then what happened?" she asked between sobs.

"I walked over to my daddy and handed him that shotgun but put the two shells in the pocket of my dress. I then went back to where Fintan was standing and I said, 'I'm going to hold you to that.' I moved out of my daddy's house that day. We stayed in the area until my parents died and then we moved to Fintan's world. My life changed forever and your grandfather has kept his promise."

"How did you know that he was the one for you?"

The southern twang was soon replaced with royal elegance. Reaching over and placing her palm on Sookie's chest said, "I could feel it here, just as I feel it now. After centuries of being with your grandfather, he is still the one for me. Just as Eric is the one for you."

"I used to believe that. You've always told me that Eric and I were meant to be but tonight, I found out something entirely different. Why is it that you never told me that there were two other vampires that could have had me? Godric said that Eric wasn't supposed to have me. He said that Eric was sneaky in his pursuit of me. He made it seem like …"

"What he was supposed to say," Adele finished. "Honey, there are things that have to be said and done in order to be sure that fate is not stopped. Godric is centuries older than your husband. Stan isn't but vampires are devious and sneaky creatures. They will do and say anything to get what they want. They're even sneakier than the fae."

Sookie was intrigued. "What do you mean?"

"If we hadn't told them that Eric was underhanded in his way of making you his, Godric would have gone after him. He would have set out to kill Eric and he would have succeeded. You're a faery princess, my love. With you in this world, an old and powerful vampire would have killed all competition to make you his. I said what I had to in order to keep him alive."

"You lied?" That bit of information surprised Sookie. Her grandmother couldn't stand for someone to lie and then she turns around and tells one.

"For good cause," Adele confirmed. "I believe that it's okay to lie for good cause. Anyway, he was meant for you just as Fintan was meant for me. Just as you've always been told, you were meant for him."

"How can you be so sure?"

She looked at Sookie and said, "Because it's happened. It wouldn't have happened if it wasn't meant to be."

Sookie thought about what her grandmother said. "It didn't happen on its own. You made it happen. Does it count?"

"Yes," Gran said with certainty.

"I don't know if I believe that. When I told you that I didn't want to stay married, you agreed with granddaddy when he said that I needed to stay married. You said that it was best for me to stay. Both of you turned me away." Even though she'd decided that she wanted to stay here, Sookie was hurt as she thought of her last conversation with her grandparents.

Adele opened her arms for Sookie to come to her. She did as her grandmother wanted. "That was for your own good, baby. You weren't thinking. You were acting on emotions. How would you have felt if you'd come back home and things would have returned to how they used to be? You would've hated yourself. You needed time to think it over. I think I know you better than you know yourself. You are a woman of conviction. You have never tucked tail and ran from anything in your life. You're not going to start doing that now. Think about it, Sookie. If you had returned home without so much as a second thought about the people that you represent, how would you have handled that? I know exactly what you would have done."

Sookie knew it too. She would have been ashamed of herself. She would have locked herself away in the royal palace for the remainder of her days. She wouldn't have been able to face anyone ever again because she would have let her selfishness win out. She never would have seen the outside of those palace walls ever again. That would have been a just punishment for what she would have done to her people, the vampires and the other supes.

"I couldn't allow that." Adele leaned in and kissed Sookie's cheek.

Sighing and looking down at her hands, Sookie said, "I've decided to stay in this realm."

"I figured you would."

With concern in her voice, she asked, "What am I supposed to do now?"

"Do what you have to do but don't be rash in your decisions. You love him."

Sookie wanted say that she didn't love Eric; not anymore. She wanted to say that she wouldn't have cared if she never saw him again. They would have all been lies.

"He loves you, too."

Sookie buried her face into her grandmother's arms. "No he doesn't. I don't think he's ever loved me."

"Men are very prideful. That includes your vampire."

"He's not my vampire." Looking in her grandmother's eyes, Sookie said, "I have something to ask you."

"Ask me," Adele replied.

Sookie sat crossed legged in the center of her bed. "Do you know what's going on with me?"

"I do."

"Lafayette noticed it today. I noticed it a few days ago but I assumed that it was because the bond between me and Eric is weakening. Then I thought that it could be the state of my marriage. I'm not supposed to be sick, Gran. What am I going to do?"

"Oh, Sookie," Adele said. "It'll be fine. You're going to be fine."

"I'm not fine. Fae women don't get sick. We've never gotten sick."

Adele didn't say anything.

"Since you've been here, I don't feel as bad as I did before. Do you think that if I come home for a couple of days that the sickness will go away? I can call grandfather and tell him …"

"No," Adele said quickly. "Stay here and recuperate. If you need to be around kin, visit your cousins. The feelings will pass. Besides, your grandfather has a lot of business to take care of and you know how he is when you're around. He can't focus." She shook her head as she chuckled. "He's a child again when it comes to you. You'll be home soon enough. When it's time, I will come for you."

That put a smile on her face. "Okay. I'll go and visit them tomorrow evening."

"Good. Now tell me, what are you going to do about Eric?"

She'd had a couple of months to think about whether or not she wanted the marriage to work and her answer was always the same. She didn't want it anymore. As far as she was concerned, the love part was over. There was no going back. "I'll do what I can for appearances sake but that's it. I'm not wasting my time or my love on someone that doesn't love me. What do you think if I got a place of my own?"

"If you think that's best."

Sookie was leery of her grandmother's response. She and her grandfather didn't want her to come home because it wasn't the right time. The alliance would be jeopardized but now it's okay if she gets her own place? Wouldn't the other supes think it strange that she and Eric live in separate homes? Before Sookie could respond to her grandmother's weird comment, Adele stood up to leave.

Adele kissed Sookie's brow. "I have to go. Your grandfather's calling to me. I will see you soon."

Sookie looked up at her grandmother and nodded. "I love you."

"And I you, dear one. You go and tell Eric that you are fine and you be nice about it."

"Yes ma'am."

Adele winked at Sookie and blew her a kiss. She started to laugh. "Though I've been doing this for centuries now, I cannot get over the astonishment of popping from here to there. It tickles me to death." Soon after, Adele was gone.

Sookie got up from her bed and went to Eric's room and knocked on his door. Within in seconds, the door was open. He looked down at Sookie and his face was filled with concern.

"Are you alright?"

"That's what I came to tell you. I'm okay."

Relief filled his eyes. "I'm glad to hear that. Would you like to come in? I was only reading. We don't have to talk. We can just sit with each other."

"No," she said. "I'm going to go bed. I'm tired. I'm sorry for smacking you earlier."

"I deserved it."

She shook her head. "You didn't. I was wrong and I'm sorry. Goodnight."

As she walked away, he stepped out of his room to watch her. "Goodnight," he called out behind her.

She never looked back.


	14. Chapter 14

**A Marriage of Inconvenience?**

**Thank you all so much for reading and reviewing. I'm sorry to say that I've lost a few readers because they said that the story is going too slow. I don't want to rush it and things will be revealed soon. I'm really not trying to depress anyone or make the angst too much to bear. It's getting there. I just need a little time.**

**P.S. Gran's not the bad guy. You'll see.**

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Sookie could feel Claudette's eyes burning a hole into the side of her face. She knew. She hadn't told her cousins that she was planning on leaving Eric. She wasn't in the mood for talking about Eric. Not tonight. Today had been a good day. She knew that they would've supported her decision to leave him. Tonight wasn't the time for talking about him. She wanted a fun night. She didn't want to hear Claudine gloating and singing her mantra of '_I told ya so'_. She wasn't in the mood for Claudette's teasing. They'd had a great day of spending time together. She didn't want it to end with a discussion of Eric.

Because Claudette continued to stare at her, she began to feel uneasy. "What?" Sookie asked. "What are you staring at?"

Claudette shook her head and said, "Nothing. You. How's your marriage going? Is it getting any better?"

Sookie looked down at the countertop as she shrugged her shoulders. "It is what it is."

Claudette placed a loving hand on Sookie's shoulder and gave it a light squeeze. "If you need me, you know you've got me. All you have to do is say so. I'm here for you."

Sookie almost jumped out of her skin. She loves her cousins dearly but they've never been the lovey dovey types; especially not Claudette. They're the types that will kick you while you're down and laugh at you while you're trying to get up. They've never done it to her but she's seen them do it. Sookie eased from underneath Claudette's touch and stared at her.

"Are you dying?"

Claudette cackled. "Hell no. Nothing's going to kill me. I'm far too mean to die. I'm just letting you know that if you need me, I'm here for you. I can help you with things." Claudette almost looked shy when she said that. She's never been one to show much emotion; unless it's anger. Her kind words did put a smile on Sookie's face.

"Thanks."

Bumping Sookie with her hip, Claudette said, "Anytime."

When the microwave beeped, Claudette took the popcorn from it and poured it in a bowl before heading to the living room. Sookie was behind her carrying a tray with raspberry tea and three glasses that were filled with ice. The lazy cousin, Claudine, was sitting in the chair with her 'swollen' feet propped up on the ottoman.

"Give me the popcorn," she whined. "I'm hungry and I'm pregnant. I shouldn't have to wait to eat."

Claudette looked at Claudine and rolled her eyes as she handed her the bowl of popcorn. "You are getting on my last nerve. You could've gotten your ass up and made the popcorn yourself. Now quit being a bitch and chill out."

Sookie giggled. Her cousins always acted like this. They've always argued with each other. That was what their relationship was based off of; love, arguing and name calling. It has gotten worse since Claudine has gotten pregnant. She has become even more demanding and spoiled than she was before.

"Stop it!" Claudine yelled. "You shouldn't tease pregnant women. You shouldn't laugh at them either, Sookie." She began to cry.

"Oh God," Claudette said as she rolled her eyes. "No wonder Colman went back to Fae. He couldn't wait to get away from your moody ass."

Claudine cried even more. "I'm a terrible mate. I've driven my husband away with my mood swings and my huge bottom. My nipples are sore and I can't wear a bra. I can only fit in his sweatpants and big shirts. He's not coming back," she wailed.

Sookie looked surprised. She'd never seen Claudine like this before. "Why is she crying? Claudine never cries."

"Fucking hormones," Claudette replied.

"Oh," Sookie whispered. "I should have guessed. Why did Colman go back to Fae?"

"He went to get the cry-baby some of her things from home."

"When did he leave?"

"This morning," Claudette replied. When she said that, she and Sookie burst out laughing. Sookie expected her to say that he left two weeks ago and hadn't called or anything. Claudine continued to cry.

"Don't talk about me like I'm not here! When you two have your babies, I swear to you that I will not treat you the same way that you are treating me."

Sookie and Claudette looked at each other. They knew that it was a lie as soon as it left Claudine's mouth. She teased them about everything that they've ever done. No matter how big or small it was Claudine always had something to say about it.

Claudette laughed as she pulled Sookie down onto the couch with her. "Ignore the child," she said as she propped her feet upon the coffee table. "What are we watching tonight? I hope that you picked a decent movie this time. Please don't let it be another love story. I'm sick of that shit."

Whenever it was her turn, Sookie always chose love stories but tonight she had a surprise for her cousins. "Tonight we are going to watch a new movie; The Avengers."

Claudette was impressed. "Good choice. No crying and snotting tonight." She looked at Claudine and turned up her nose. "Well at least from us two."

"You are so bothersome, Claudette. Why do you have to be so difficult all of the time?" Claudine's bottom lip began to quiver. "You have been teasing me since this morning. Can't you see that I'm in a delicate state?" Claudine began rubbing her huge baby belly.

"Stop with the dramatics," Claudette replied. "You are the biggest …"

Claudine gasped. "Are you calling me fat?"

"I was going to say that you are the biggest baby but since you've mentioned it."

"Enough you two," Sookie said. She walked over to the blu-ray player to get the movie started. "Why do you two have to fuss every time we have movie night? Let's just eat some popcorn and enjoy the movie."

When Sookie walked back to the couch, she reached over to take the bowl from Claudine's lap but there wasn't much popcorn left. She looked from Claudine to the bowl and back to Claudine again. She could see that Claudine was embarrassed so she didn't say anything but she had to wonder when she had time to eat any of it. She hadn't stopped crying long enough to eat.

"It's okay. We don't need any popcorn," Sookie whispered before she sat down. Unfortunately, Claudette heard her.

Claudette didn't agree. "I needed some popcorn. What's the point of having a movie night when we don't have any popcorn?" She took the almost empty bowl from Sookie and sighed. "What am I supposed to do now?"

"Get some chips," Sookie suggested. "They're in the cabinet over the fridge. There are some Oreos in there too."

"I want popcorn."

"Well, we don't have any more popcorn."

"Because fatty ate it all," Claudette exclaimed.

"You bitch," Claudine said.

Claudette snapped her fingers and she soon had the bag of chips in her hands.

Claudine began licking her lips. "Can I have …?"

"No," Claudette said. Claudine was about to start up. "Okay, you can have the chips. Do you want some Oreos too, Cici?"

Claudine nodded and smiled.

With a snap of her fingers, Claudette had the cookies and handed them to her baby sister. She poured her some chips in the popcorn bowl. "Take your time so that you don't choke."

No matter how much they fussed and argued, it could never be disputed that the faeries do love one another.

Claudine burst out laughing. "Thanks, Cissy." She got up from the chair and waddled over to the couch to sit with her sister and cousin. "Move over," she said as she crammed herself in the middle.

"Shut up, you two," Sookie said. "The previews have started."

Within seconds, the arguing and the niceties had stopped and the three faeries were huddled together on the couch and enjoying each other's company. They were only getting started with the movie when there was a knock at the door. Claudette and Sookie looked at Claudine. She couldn't believe that they were looking to her to answer the door.

"I'm pregnant."

"It's your house," they said in unison.

"But I'm pregnant," she repeated.

The cousins looked at each other and crossed their arms over their chests. They were determined not to budge.

As she struggled to get up from her seat, she complained. "You two are something else." She grunted and groaned as her sister and cousin pushed into the standing position. She even wiped her hand across her brow as if she was sweating buckets.

"See," Sookie said. "I knew that you could do it."

"Pause the movie," she ordered.

With the movie was paused, Sookie began thinking about the great time that she'd had with her cousins. The shopping, the lunch, the gossiping; it was a great day. Sookie turned to face her Claudette and placed her hand on her leg. "Thanks for today. I'm glad that you called me this morning."

Claudette blushed. "You're family and I love you." After an awkward pause, Claudette said, "You know that if you ever need anything you can count on us. Just as I said before, I know things. I can help you."

At first Sookie thought that Claudette was talking about bad marriages. She'd had one of the worst. She'd killed her mate and she'd enjoyed it. He'd planned on attacking her and taking control of her earthly territories. When she got wind of his plan, there was no stopping her. She killed him and minions. She did it without any help from her kin. Sookie thought that was the type of help that Claudette was offering her but from the look in her eyes there was more to it than that.

"What do you mean?"

She almost didn't say what she wanted to say but she appeared to have changed her mind. "Things are changing. You can't run to grandfather. Not now. All is not as it seems," she whispered. "Gran will take care of everything."

"What do you mean?"

"Do you trust me?" Claudette asked. Sookie could hear the seriousness in her voice.

"You know that I do. If I can't trust you, I can't trust anybody. What's going on?"

Before Claudette could answer Sookie, Claudine came back into the room. She could sense that something was happening but didn't address it. There were more important things that needed to be tended to. "Sookie, sweetie, don't get mad."

Sookie smiled and said, "Why would I …?" Eric was standing behind her.

Claudette jumped up from the couch and said, "Why are you here?"

"I came to see Sookie." He walked past Claudette and sat beside Sookie. When he sat down, his thigh rested against hers. He leaned back onto the couch and threw his arm over the back of it and asked, "What are we watching?"

"The Avengers," Claudine volunteered. She went back to her chair and propped her imaginary swollen feet upon the ottoman. She eyed Eric and said, "What's with the surprise visit? We've invited you to movie night at least a million times and you never wanted to come. Why have you come tonight?"

"To be with Sookie," he replied as he stared at her. He scooted closer to her; crowding her with his body as he relaxed. Sookie thought that she was going to have sit on the arm of the couch in order to have some room.

"She doesn't want you here." Claudette's shimmer was bright. Sookie could feel the danger in the air.

"It's okay, Cissy. I'm fine. We're not going to let him ruin our good time. Let's finish watching the movie. We can pretend that he's not here."

They all looked at Eric. He looked at them and smiled.

Doing something out of the ordinary again, Claudette calmed down a lot quicker than expected. "If you wish, Sookie." Looking at Eric, she said, "You'd better behave yourself while you're here."

Eric smiled and said, "Of course."

Claudette sat on the other side of Sookie. She grabbed the remote and started the movie. The ladies were soon relaxed as they enjoyed the rest of the movie. They ooh'ed and ah'ed at the fascinating parts of the movie. They jumped when they were surprised. They'd done a pretty good job at pretending that Eric wasn't there. That is until he spoke up.

"This movie is pretty good," he said. "The Iron Man character is quite entertaining. He seems to be a very smart and conniving human. Has he been this way throughout the movie?"

"Yes," Claudine answered. Rolling her eyes, she added, "How do you think he became Iron Man?"

"Interesting," Eric replied. "I would love to see the development of his character. Can we start from the beginning so that I can see it all?"

"NO!" the three faeries said at once.

The room was quiet once more. Only this time, Eric pretended to need to stretch and let his arm fall onto Sookie's shoulder. Her body stiffened at his touch. Claudine giggled when she saw that very human and very uncool move that Eric made on her cousin. Claudette rolled her eyes and mumbled the words lame and idiot.

Sookie got up from the couch. "I'll be back." She ran to the kitchen and paced back and forth. She couldn't believe what was going on. What game was he playing with her? Why was he trying to be her husband all of a sudden?

"What is he doing?" she asked herself.

"I'm trying to show you that I do want to be with you."

His voice surprised her. She swallowed her heart as she turned to face him. "How did you know that I was here?"

"It's movie night. You and your cousins have movie night every week." Softly, he added, "I knew that."

"Oh." She didn't realize that he knew when movie night was.

"Just give me a chance, Sookie. All I'm asking for is a chance. I don't expect you to trust me right away. I don't expect you to fall at my feet." He walked slowly to her. "I just want a chance." His voice was gentle and soothing.

She almost believed him.

"Will you give me chance?" he asked when she didn't say anything.

"Why?"

"I want us to work." His face was soon close to hers. His cool hands were resting against her cheek. The sound of his words sent tingles throughout her body. Against her better judgment, she leaned into his touch and closed her eyes.

"Open the bond, Sookie. Let me know how you feel."

"There is no bond," she said as she stepped away from him. She wasn't speaking of the blood bond either. From the look in his eyes, he understood perfectly well what she meant.

He stepped in closer to her. "We need to fix that."

"I feel nothing."

He smiled as if he didn't believe her. "Let me get to know you all over again; without any interference of family or friends. Can we start over?"

"I don't …"

Interrupting her, Eric said, "If things don't work out, I swear to you, I'll let you go without so much as a single word. We can stay married for the sake of the alliance but live our lives separately if you still want out. I only ask that you give me another chance."

Tears fell from her eyes. "I believed in you the first time. It's too late."

"If we want this, it's not too late."

"You can't force it. You can't make me want to stay with you. If it happens, it'll happen on its own."

"Are you saying that you'll do it?"

Sookie looked past Eric to see her cousins standing in the doorway. Claudine's swollen ankles didn't appear to be swollen anymore. She was patting her foot and shaking her head no. Claudette was giving her the thumbs up and nodding her head rapidly. She was mouthing the words do it.

"I'm not saying anything." Sookie used her cousins' appearance at the door to escape. "They're waiting for me. We're missing the movie." She walked past Eric and out of the kitchen and back into the living room.

Once they were all seated in their original seats, Claudette said, "You can't see it at the beginning of the movie, Eric."

"See what?" Eric asked as he leaned forward to look at Claudette.

"How his character came to be. Iron Man has his own movies. You'll have to watch those in order to see how his character was developed."

Eric smiled at her. "Thank you." Resting his arm on the back of the couch and not on Sookie's shoulder this time, he said, "Maybe we can get together and watch it."

Claudine began to rattle the Oreo pack. "Pregnant lady here and she's trying to watch the movie."

"Shut up, Cici," Claudette said. "Sookie, do you want to watch the Iron Man movies? If you don't, we could watch one of your sappy love stories."

Sookie said, "I'll let you know. I might have plans."

They all knew that she was lying. She had no plans. She never stood her cousins up on movie night. It was their special night.

Eric looked at her and said, "Just let me know when you can. We can watch it together."

Snidely, Sookie said, "You might be busy." She knew from history that when it came to her, he was always too busy.

"I won't be," he said as he stared at the side of her face.

Sookie frowned as she looked at him. Claudette was smiling. Claudine was frowning as she crammed Oreo after Oreo into her mouth. Eric was proud. He knew that he'd made a little headway. Telling Sookie that he loved her wasn't the answer. He was going to show her; prove it to her. He wasn't going to lose her.


	15. Chapter 15

**A Marriage of Inconvenience?**

**Thank you all so much for your time and your reviews. I especially want to thank you for understanding that it will take time for things to transpire. I'm sorry that some people are frustrated and that they hate Eric and Sookie and that they're not rooting for them. I'm sorry that Eric is seen as a wimp and a wussy. It could also be said that because of the history that vampires have with faeries that Eric had good reason to think that he was being manipulated; especially if the grandfather that knows his granddaughter says that she has the power to make others feel what she wants them to feel. He's seen her do it. Why wouldn't he believe that she would do it to him? **

**Enjoy the chapter.**

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Meanwhile, back in the land of Fae …

She couldn't believe it. She didn't want to believe it but she had no choice. She'd heard him say it. She'd heard the ugly words come from his very mouth. How could the man that she's loved for many centuries be so harsh? So cruel to one of his own? His very flesh and blood.

Adele sat in her parlor and reminisced of the day that she became Fintan's wife. The gossip was running rampant in her hometown. The entire town thought that the Stackhouses were a different breed. They were considered low rent, white trash. At times they were considered to be lower than white trash. It didn't matter that her father had hundreds of acres of land or that he owned his own feed store. Two as a matter of fact. Her family has always been _'different'_. That's what makes them Stackhouses. She knew that people thought them to be strange. The Stackhouses knew that they were talked about but they didn't care. What the towns people thought or what they believed didn't matter. They were proud of who they were. But when Adele ran off with Fintan, the town really started gossiping then. They talked trash about her parents because they '_allowed_' her to run off with a complete stranger.

She knew that it wasn't normal for a woman to run off with a complete stranger and marry him. She didn't care. What the people of the town didn't realize is that her parents didn't allow her to do anything. It was her choice to go with Fintan and she did what she felt was right. To her, it was right. He was her destiny. How did she know? He made her happy. He fulfilled her every dream; her every wish. Every fantasy she'd ever had was turned into a reality because of him. What more could she have asked for?

Adele dropped her head and sighed.

"Lady Brigant," Serene said as she entered the room. "Are you ready for you tea?"

Adele looked up and smiled at the young servant girl. "No, thank you," she replied as she shook her head. "I will have no tea tonight. I request that you leave me in peace."

Serene bowed to Adele as she left the room.

Adele walked to the opened french doors of her parlor and stood on her balcony. She looked out at her most dearly loved garden. Every flower that danced in the winds of Fae in that garden, were planted by Fintan's hand. It was a wedding gift to her. He told her that he'd been watching her and he knew how she loved the sun and the flowers. Tulips, lilies, roses, gardenias, chrysanthemums; every flower known to man, Fintan planted in Adele's Garden. That's what he named it…Adele's Garden. He told her that there was no other suitable name.

_"A beautiful garden deserves a beautiful name." _

Like tonight, every time she looked out at the garden, she saw his love for her. A sudden thought washed away the memory.

_Cruel; how could he be so cruel?_

Adele never expected to fall in love with Fintan Brigant; especially with the way that he approached her father. What normal man does that? She chuckled. She didn't find out until later that he wasn't a normal man at all but in the end that didn't matter to her at all. Hell, she wasn't normal and he still wanted her. He loved her. Until Fintan, she never knew what eternal love meant. She never knew what forever meant. She didn't know anything about love until she met him. She never imagined that their love would be an eternal love …a forever love. When she was with Fintan, she was at peace. He loved her, honored her, and cherished her.

_Or so I believed._

When she was around Fintan, Adele couldn't seem to control herself. She always has the need to touch him; to be close to him. She needed to feel his love. She loved the way his lips kissed her skin. When he would inhale the scent her hair, the feel of his heartbeat would quicken. She thought of the sweet things that he would say to her. She thought of the questions that he has always asked her when they are alone in the parlor or walking through Adele's Garden. The sweet things that he would say to her as they walked over the little bridge that hung over the pond as the swans swam underneath, always made her feel special.

"You know that I will love you forever?" he would ask.

"Most certainly," she would answer.

"We are going to grow old together. We are going to walk through this garden every night under the moonlight just as we did on our wedding night."

"Is that a date?" she would ask.

"If you'll have me," he would answer.

Every night, she takes his hands into hers and she always says the same thing. "I've loved you since the day you stepped onto my daddy's porch. Neither my daddy or his shotgun was going to keep me away from you. So yes, my dearest love. I will have you."

"Forever?" he asks.

"Always," she answers.

_Was that a lie too? Was everything that he'd ever said to me a lie? What about the things he'd done for me? Was it real? Was any of it real?_

Fintan had changed her life. In that one day of meeting him, everything that was important to her came second to Fintan. Every thought was of Fintan. For Adele, every moment revolved around their life as one. When it came to the love that they shared, it her heartbeat. Her life line. Spending time at home was their greatest past time. When the doors would close, they never wanted to leave the room. The world seemed to vanish when they were together. Their words were whispers. Their bodies, their souls, even their breaths became one.

"_I live only for you, Adele."_

Adele looked out at her garden and said, "That was the way our life was always supposed to be. It was to be no other way."

As she thought of the love that she and Fintan shared, she thought of her parents. She pitied her mother. She wished that her mother could have experienced the love that she had with Fintan. Adele loved her father but he never loved her mother as Fintan loved her. He never gave his wife flowers. He never gave her candy. He never wrote her love letters; not even notes that he could have placed neatly on the fridge. There was no sharing of secrets or sneaking kisses between the two of them. No love sneaking of the love pats that the kids weren't supposed to see. Adele only knew that her daddy loved her mama because he always took care of her and made sure that she had all that she needed. She didn't know for sure but her daddy never gave her mama anything that she wanted. Until Fintan, she never knew that a man could love a woman so deeply. She didn't want a marriage that appeared to be loveless. From that moment on, she was determined that anyone that she loved was going to have what she has with Fintan.

"I can't imagine ever spending my life with anyone but you," he said to her. He says that to her every day. Was it true? Was he going to ruin her life by throwing her to the side as if she never mattered? Was he playing with her life just as he's played with others?

_Has he ever truly loved me?_

It suddenly dawned on her. Maybe her daddy did give her mama what she wanted. Maybe all she wanted was a stable home for her family. It could have been her mother's dream to marry a man that would provide for her. What right did Adele have to question the love that her daddy had for her mother? Just because they didn't love the way she and Fintan did, didn't mean that her daddy didn't love her mother just as much. She may not have known for sure but she still wanted her mama to those sweet nothings and love pats.

She and Fintan would spend hours together and not have to talk to each other. Just holding onto one another was enough. Being in each other's presence was like standing under the summer sun for the first time. The gazillionth kiss that they shared was like the first kiss that they'd ever shared. Adele knew that what they had was true love. Or so she thought.

_I should've confronted him that very night. I should've told him that he was wrong. I should've let him know that I am and will forever be ashamed of what he has done. If I had, I know what he would have done. He would have denied it all. He would have told me that I didn't hear what I thought I'd heard. He would have given me a line and I probably would have fallen for it. _Adele chuckled._ I've always fallen for his lines._

Oh, Fintan's lines always made her swoon. Her heart would skip beats and her pulse would quicken. "His lines," she murmured aloud. "I loved those lines." She shook her head as her idea of true love began to die.

"_There was no life before you, my sweetest Adele."_

"_Everything that I am is because of you, my dearest love."_

"_The love of my life," he said. "Come to me and let me hold you."_

Standing together, dancing cheek to cheek, whispering words that only the other could hear; that's what he did for her. He made her feel loved and wanted. He told her that he adored her. Even after centuries of being together, he still wanted to make love to her every night. He still wanted to hold her hand every day. And just like clockwork, no matter where he was, he always told her that he loved her. Every day since they've been together, he's told her that he loves her.

_How could he mean it? How could he lie to me?_

As she looked out into the night, tears of sadness fell from her eyes. Tonight, she didn't feel any of those things from her darling husband. He'd taken her trust in him and destroyed it without as much as a second thought. He has left her shattered and broken. His professions of undying love and loyalty were they lies… nothing more than lies? They had to have been lies. They couldn't have been anything but lies for him to do what he's done. Adele believed that if he truly loves her, he wouldn't have lied to her. He wouldn't have betrayed her. He would be the man of honor that she married. He would be the man that he'd always promised to be. He wouldn't have destroyed their granddaughter's marriage the way that he's done.

_Eric loves her. Sookie loves him. What right does Fintan have to do what he's done?_

When she heard him ask Eric if he and Sookie had stopped sleeping together, Adele knew what Fintan had planned. If Eric and Sookie stop making love for a certain amount of time, it opens the door for Sookie to take another lover; a fae lover. She can then breed pure fae babies. Once Eric's scent is removed from her, Fintan will pounce and there's nothing that Adele or anyone else can do about it.

She knew last night when she visited Sookie that she and Eric were no longer sharing a bedroom. That could only mean one thing. She and Eric were no longer making love. Fintan had won. He can never know. As far as he knows, he'd succeeded in tearing them apart.

Adele squeezed her eyes closed and said, "I should have known." She began to cry. "I should have known."

When Sookie came home to tell them that she was tired of the way that Eric was treating her and that she wanted to come home, Adele thought that Sookie was just homesick. She didn't realize that Eric was withholding his affections from her because he was led to believe that she never loved him. She didn't know that Fintan had told him that lie. The night that Sookie came to them, Adele honestly believed that Eric's vampiric ways were the problem and that Sookie would get used to it.

"It's as if he's ashamed of me grandmother. When we go to summits or parties, I work one end of the room and he works the other. That's not how it's supposed to be. Why is he ashamed of me? What have I done to deserve such treatment?" Her pain was evident and it was heartbreaking.

"They never show their affections in public. It is a sign of weakness for a vampire to show anything or anyone love." Adele had warned Sookie before she married Eric. Sookie understood. She'd never been so wrong and so sorry for what she'd done to Sookie when she turned her away. She wished that she could go back to that night. She would take Sookie into her arms and hold her and love her the way a grandmother should. She'd let Sookie down but she wouldn't make the same mistake twice. She was going to make sure that Sookie got what she wanted.

Quickly glancing over her shoulder, Adele waved her hands over face and the tears were instantly gone. He was coming.

"My sweetest Adele," Fintan said as he entered the room. "Are you not well? I thought that I could feel your despair. If there is anything wrong, tell me, my sweet. I can make it better."

Adele's heart broke a little more with each word he'd spoken. She didn't know whether to believe him but she couldn't show him. She was going to have to play the dutiful wife in order to give her granddaughter what she wanted. Sookie wanted Eric and she was going to have Eric. If it wasn't too late, Adele was going to do everything in her power to make it happen.

She turned around to face Fintan with a glowing and loving smile on her face. "I am fine. I was just standing here and admiring my garden. It is beautiful."

"Anything for you, my Adele," Fintan said as he wrapped his arms around her.

"You do love me, Fintan, don't you?"

He stepped back from Adele and looked into her eyes. His eyes showed that he was hurt that she would question his love. "I can't believe that you would ask me that. I've never loved anyone but you."

She swallowed deeply. The next question would tell her what she needed to know. "You would never lie to me, would you? Hide anything from me?"

He didn't answer her. He pulled her into his body and tightened his grip on her. "I love you," he whispered.

She turned her back to him in order to admire her garden. "Cool night," she replied.

He still had his arms lovingly wrapped around her. "I do love you, Adele."

"I wish that everyone could have the kind of love that we have; honest and true."

Fintan dropped his head in shame; though Adele couldn't see it.

"I hope that Claudine and Colman have what we have. I hope that sweet, Claudette gets her true love. I hope that Sookie and Eric have what we have. They deserve it, don't you think? Sookie deserves to be happy. After all that she's done for her people, who deserves it more than she?" Adele asked.

"Everyone deserves love," he replied. Shame filled him. He knew that Sookie deserved love but she couldn't find that love with a vampire.

"It makes me happy that Sookie is going to give Eric another chance. I hope that she never gives up on love. He loves her and hopefully, he'll open up to her. It can't be too late for them."

Fintan pressed his body closer to Adele's. "Not everyone is as open with their love as we are. Eric is a vampire. Sookie can only expect so much from him."

"She didn't believe that at first. She can't believe it now."

Fintan kissed the top of Adele's head. "It may be too late for them."

Adele went along with what Fintan said. "You might be right. It might be too late." She patted his hand as she stared out into her garden. Adele was going to do what she had to do. She was going to save Eric and Sookie's marriage; even if she had to go behind Fintan's back in order to do it.


	16. Chapter 16

**A Marriage of Inconvenience?**

**I apologize for the delay in posting this chapter. I needed to work on my other story because I hadn't updated the story in a month. So this week, I will be posting at least three chapters to this story so that I can go back and forth and work on my other stories. It was so much easier with this story because the chapters are short but I will keep you updated. **

**I want to thank you all for reading and reviewing.**

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When the movie was over, Claudette could've driven Sookie home but because of Eric's impromptu visit to Claudine's house, he was going to be the one to take her home. Sookie didn't have much of a choice in the matter since Claudette made the decision for her. She decided that she had to stay with Claudine until Colman made his return from Faery. She did tell Sookie to call her if she needed anything; anything at all. She needed a ride from Claudette but alas, she didn't have any say so. So, Eric and Sookie were on their way home; or so she thought. Eric drove past the road to would have led them home.

"Where are we going?"

"I thought …" Eric hesitated before he finished his sentence. Sookie's eyes snapped up to meet his. He seemed nervous. He wasn't this nervous when he was courting her. "I thought that maybe you'd like to go out for dinner."

"I'm not dressed for dinner." She didn't know where they were going but she didn't feel comfortable wearing her lunch dress to dinner.

"You look great but it's up to you. Just say so and we can go home. I thought that dinner would be nice."

"Just us?" Sookie's voice was filled with surprise. "Just you and me going out to dinner?"

"Sure," he said. "Why not?"

"Because we only ever go out when it's business," she said.

"Since when?" he asked.

She looked at him as if he was crazy. "Are you kidding me? It's been that way since we got married. Once we got married, you changed. Our dinners, when you deemed them necessary for me to be there, were always alliance related. There were no romantic notions at all when we'd go out to dinner. It was all business. You know that." Sookie gave a sarcastic snort. "You're delusional if you believed it to be any other way."

Eric frowned but knew not to respond because he knew that she was right. "Well I think that it's time that we change that." His voice was cheerful and his expression wasn't hidden. It was open to her. For the first time since they'd married, he was open to her. His eyes weren't dead and cold. His demeanor wasn't stiff and standoffish. He wasn't the same vampire that she'd married. He was different and it scared her. She didn't trust it. She knew what to expect if she trusted him. That is one road that she didn't want to travel down again.

Sookie didn't say anything for the remainder of the ride; not even when he parked the car away from the restaurant. Before she could open her car door, Eric had blurred to the passenger side and opened it for her. He offered her his hand but she declined.

"I can get out on my own, thank you."

Eric and Sookie walked in silence. He began to wish that Sookie would let him hold her hand. He wanted to feel the warmth of her skin against his. He wanted to ask her but he knew that it wasn't the right time.

Eric's nervousness began to make her feel uneasy. She could sense that he was up to something but because he's a vampire, she couldn't get into his head. Their minds were closed to her and she appreciated that. In the beginning of their relationship, Sookie wrapped herself in his silence. It was comfortable. It felt like home. The only comfort that she had now were in her arms so she wrapped them around her body.

"Are you cold?"

"Not really," she replied. "But I'll be fine."

"There's a jacket in the car," he said as he pointed over his shoulder. "I can go back and get it if you want me to."

"No, thank you."

"It won't be a problem."

"I'll be fine."

Eric changed the subject. "Tonight was fun."

Sookie had to force herself to concentrate on Eric's words. She wanted to relax but she was afraid to. She didn't know what to expect from this new Eric. He'd done this to her before; made her believe that he wanted her and then boom …he'd made a fool of her. She should've told him to take her home. It's not like he forced her to come with him. He gave her a choice. She chose to come with him. Since she'd made that decision, she had to be civil.

"It's a shame that you missed so many of our infamous movie nights. We've always had them; my cousins and me. When we lived in Faery, we had movie night. Gran and grandpa would watch with us when they could. Claudine would come here and she would find the best ...never mind. It doesn't matter."

Eric glanced at her as they walked. He wanted her to finish her sentence but he let her drop it. When she was ready to share with him again, she would. "I can see why you enjoy their company. They are quite amusing. Claudette is quite funny."

"In this world, they're all the family that I have. I don't know what I'd do without them."

Eric looked and felt uncomfortable at the words she'd spoken. There was no way that he could argue with what she'd said. It was true but that was going to change. Her cousins weren't going to be her only family. He was going to see to that.

"Claudette threatened to kill me."

She looked up at him and grinned.

Eric threw his head back and laughed. "That amuses you?"

She looked up to meet his eyes. "It does."

"Do you want to know why?"

"She told me." Sookie's smiled broadened. Shrugging her shoulders, she said, "I guess you'd better behave yourself tonight. There's something that you need to know Claudette."

Eyeing her curiously, Eric asked, "What is that?"

"She doesn't make threats." Before she could stop herself, Sookie giggled.

"I guess I'll have to keep that in mind."

"You'd better." Sookie dropped her hands by her side; the smile growing even bigger.

They started laughing as they walked along. Without thinking, Eric reached for Sookie's hand. She pulled it away and moved away from him. Her arms were once again wrapped around her body.

"I apologize," he said.

She didn't say anything else. The rest of the walk was silence.

Eric finally said, "We're here."

She looked up to see that they were standing in front of Bloody Goodness. It was the restaurant that catered to the most important members of vampire society. It was the restaurant that vampires went to if they wanted to be seen. Eric placed his hand on the small of Sookie's back. When he reached out to open the door, she smacked his hand away.

She was no longer giggling. The smile was gone. "I'm not going in there."

"What's wrong?"

"Why would you bring me here?"

"For dinner."

"Lots of vampires come here."

"So?" he replied.

"I don't want to go in there. I'm _not_ going to go in there."

"It's only dinner." Eric was trying to figure out what was wrong. He only wanted to share a dinner with her. He'd called ahead and asked the manager to save the private room for him and Sookie. He'd even requested that guards stand outside the door so that they could be alone. He did that so they wouldn't be bothered. Sookie was extremely popular among the vampires. They loved being in her presence but tonight was just for them. Tonight, he wanted to do something special for her. Take her somewhere special.

"No." Sookie began walking away.

Eric watched her. He didn't understand what was going on. He thought that things were beginning to go fairly well. Eric followed after her. Within seconds, he was standing in front of her.

"What did I do wrong?"

"You brought me here."

"For dinner," he proclaimed.

Sookie looked up at him and said, "You must really think that I'm stupid."

"What?" Eric was surprised at her words. "I don't know what you mean."

"Really? You weren't hoping that Stan or Godric would be in there? They'd see us together and think that all was well in the Northman marriage. That wasn't your plan?"

"I don't care if they are in …"

"The one place that was mine …the one place that allowed me to be me and you took it. Why did you have to come tonight?"

Eric was stunned at her words. He'd assumed that they had a great time at her cousin's house. As the movie progressed, Sookie relaxed. She even let her leg rest against his.

"Where is this coming from?"

Then the dam burst. "Insecurity, fear, distrust," she exclaimed. She pointed in the direction of the restaurant. "You ask me to dinner and against my better judgment, I don't tell you to take me home and this is where you bring me? Was the entire night a ploy?" Looking up at the stars, Sookie asked, "Why do I keep letting you do this to me?" Tears rolled down her cheeks.

"Please don't," he begged. His voice was low and gravelly. It was so thick with his Viking accent that she almost didn't understand him. He used his thumbs to wipe the tears away. "Please don't cry. Tonight was not a ploy. I swear to you."

She only stared up at him.

With his hands still cupping her face, he said, "We don't have to in there. We can go anywhere; anywhere you want to go."

He was sincere. She took his hands from her face and held onto them for a brief second. "I just want to go to home."

"Okay," he whispered.

They walked back to the car without so much as saying a word. Once they were settled in, Sookie turned on the radio to drown out the deafening sounds of their silence. Eric didn't want to listen to the radio. He wanted to talk to her. He wasn't going to clam up. He wasn't going to let her shut him out.

"Claudine makes a beautiful mother."

"She's always been the beautiful one. Back home, she was the prettiest of the Brigant girls."

"No she's not," Eric countered.

Sookie looked down at her hands. Until last night, after they'd married, Eric never once told her that she was beautiful.

When Sookie didn't respond to him, he continued talking about Claudine. "When does she have the baby?"

"It's unknown. It's in the essence. It's in the love."

Eric was confused but he understood Sookie's way of talking in riddles. That's the way all of her kin speak. They speak in riddles and they don't bother with explanations.

"Have you ever wanted children?"

Sookie looked at Eric from the corner of her eye. He wasn't trying to be funny. He really wanted to know. She looked out into the night. "Yes," she whispered. She turned to face him. "I've always wanted children."

When she said that, she could've sworn that Eric's face changed. It was a mask she'd never seen on him before. It was sadness.

"I had children once."

She couldn't believe what she'd heard. She knew that Eric had a wife in his past life before he'd been turned but he'd never mentioned his children to her before. It dawned on her that the sadness was for him. He not only lost his life. He lost his children. He'd never gotten to see his children grow up.

"How many children did you have?"

Eric stared straight ahead as he gripped the steering wheel. His white knuckles were whiter than they were before. "Two; I had two sons. My brother married my wife after my death and raised them as his own. That was the way it was supposed to be. Upon my death, he was next in line to take my family as his own. My brother was an honorable man. I know that he raised my sons to be honorable men. My family bred sons; strong, brave, and honorable." Eric silently added, "I had sons."

"I'm sorry." She placed her hand on his arm. The feel of her warmth relaxed him.

The rest of the ride was in silence. After a moment, Sookie placed her hand in her lap. Eric could still feel the warmth of her hand on his arm. He needed that. Since he's been a vampire, Eric had never talked about his children; not even to Pam. He loved being a father. He loved spending time with his children. When he'd return from his battles, the sounds of their voices and their laughter greeted him as soon as he entered their home. Playing with them, family dinners', teaching them to hunt and to fight; those are things that he missed the most about being human.

"We're home."

Sookie's voice interrupted his memories. He didn't realize that they were home. The car was in the garage and parked. The key was out of the ignition.

"How long have we been sitting here?"

"Not long," she replied. "Are you okay?"

"Yes," he answered. "Thank you for your concern."

She smiled at him and got out of the car.

Once they were inside, they headed upstairs to their bedrooms. Instead of walking to their bedrooms, they looked at each other. Both of them had shy looks on their faces. A stranger would have believed that they had just met.

"Good night," Sookie said.

"Before you go, I have some things that I want to say."

"Okay."

"I'm sorry that I took your place from you. I'm sorry about ruining dinner. I only wanted to have dinner with you. There was no hidden agenda. And to be truthful, I chose Bloody Goodness because they cater to all walks of life…despite the name. I know how you've been missing home and I thought that you would've enjoyed a taste of Fae. I also had a selfish reason for taking you to dinner. I just wanted to be with you."

Sookie felt awful. She'd automatically assumed the worst. She placed her hands over her face in order to hide her embarrassment. She even laughed at herself. "I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to make you ...I'm so sorry."

Eric shrugged his shoulders. "It's not your fault. I've done this to us."

"Thank you." She placed her hand on his shoulder and said, "Good night. Don't work too hard." Sookie began walking to her bedroom.

"Sookie?" Eric called out to her.

She turned around when he called her name.

"If you're not too tired," he said, "you can come with me… if you want to." When he saw the look on her face, he hastily added, "I know that you haven't been feeling well. That was selfish of me. I shouldn't have said anything."

Sookie shook her head no. She didn't want to say so but she was suddenly hit with a wave of nausea. It didn't make sense. She was fine earlier but now, it took all of the energy that she had to stay on her feet. The only thing that she wanted to do was go to bed.

"No, thank you. I'll see you tomorrow night."

He noticed that her voice was softer. When she began walking away, he noticed that she was walking slower than before. Before she had time to protest, she was in his arms and in her bedroom. She looked up at him and she wanted to argue but she didn't have the energy. As gingerly as possible, Eric placed her on the bed and began removing her clothes and her shoes. He went to the bathroom and took her nightgown from the hook on back of the door. He dressed her. Once that was done, he helped her to her feet.

"Lean on me," he ordered.

She did.

One Eric had pulled the covers back and put Sookie to bed. He pulled the covers up and tucked her in.

"Thank you," she whispered.

He leaned down and kissed her on the forehead and before he could stand to his full height, she was asleep.

Eric left the room and closed the bedroom door. He rested his body against it. He had no choice. He didn't know whether or not he would still be standing if it hadn't been there. He took out his cell phone and called Dr. Ludwig.

"What is it, vampire?"

"You need to come to my home. There's something wrong with my wife."

Dr. Ludwig laughed. "I'm out of the country. I'll be back in a few days. Why don't you call her kin? They can help her a lot better than I can."

That was the last thing that Eric wanted to do. Fintan would use her illness as an excuse to take her away. He was surprised that Adele didn't do the same.

"I need _you_."

She sighed. "I'll be back in a few days. If that's not good enough for you, call her kin." She hung up on him.

Eric hung his head and sighed.

For the first time in over a thousand years, he was scared.


	17. Chapter 17

**A Marriage of Inconvenience?**

**Here is the 2****nd**** chapter of the week. I want to thank y'all for the reviews, favorites, and the alerts. I really appreciate that y'all understand that we are getting there. I'm not trying to make this an angsty story and in the next chapter, they will make a little more progress. Don't be discouraged by this chapter. I just can't justify Sookie forgiving him because he showed up at Claudine's for movie night and almost took her out to dinner. He still has a lot of groveling to do.**

**The characters belong to Ms. Charlaine Harris but the idea is mine.**

**I hope that y'all enjoy.**

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The children were sitting at the dinner table with their mom when they heard the whistling. They looked up and at each other and smiled. The whistling always excited them. They knew what it meant. They were anxious to jump up from their seats and take off running to see him but they knew the rules. They aren't allowed to get up from the table until they are excused. The boys kicked their little legs back and forth. They giggled loudly. They wiggled in their seats; their little bottoms bouncing back and forth. Their mother tried to hide her excitement but she failed. She was just as excited as they were. Her husband was home.

After taking a bite of her lunch, she looked at the boys and smiled. "Du är ursäktad," she said.

The boys were off and running. It was beautiful to see them running across the yard. There happy giggles were musical and soothing. She didn't know that he was due to come home but she was so glad that he had returned. He'd been at sea for several months and when the boys saw their father, it was as if it was Christmas all over again. The sounds of their voices as they yelled out, '_Pappa är hemma! Pappa är hemma!_'' filled the air. The smile that spread across Eric's face was the most beautiful smile she'd ever seen. His eyes held only love and compassion. He bent down with his arms open wide and his boys jumped into them; never wanting to let him go.

"Jag har saknat dig, mina söner," he said to them.

"Stannar du den här gången?" they asked him.

"För så länge jag kan." He kissed the blond heads of his sons.

Eric hugged his sons closer to his body. The smell of their childhood was the best welcome home present that he could've received. He tickled his sons as he could wait no longer to hear the full sounds of their laughter. The feel of them climbing over his body and kissing his cheeks made him all the more happier. This was what home was supposed to be. His wife and children were his reason for staying alive. When things seemed grim during times of war, the visions of his family made him fight even harder to make it home. They were all that he needed.

With both boys lying on their backs and with smiles on their faces, Eric was on his knees and he was ready to put the tickle monster back in action. Their little legs began waving back and forth in the air. Eric's laughter filled her heart. She closed her eyes and relished in it. She wanted to hold onto this memory forever. She loved seeing them play with their father. It didn't happen very often but when it did, it brought joy to her heart.

Upon opening her eyes and seeing them enjoy themselves, the little girl of yesterday made an appearance. She knew that she had to get dinner prepared but it would just have to wait. She wanted to join them. She jumped off of the porch and ran to them. The thought of him holding her tonight and loving her as only he could, made her run even faster and harder. When she'd reached him, her heart was pounding in her chest. She will filled with anticipation. She was laughing just as loudly as they were; until he looked up at her and she saw his face.

When the laughing man looked up at her, she stopped dead in her tracks. She didn't know that man. It wasn't Eric. She looked down at the boys and they weren't hers. The boys from before were gone. These boys weren't blond and they didn't have blue eyes. They were brunettes and had green eyes. They were looking at her and they were the ones that were laughing and playing. This wasn't her family.

The man reached out to her. "Join us," he said.

Sookie shook her head no. "Vem är du?" she asked.

"I'm your true destiny."

Sookie's eyes opened. The whistling and happy man from her dreams was resting on the pillow beside her and holding her hand. He was watching her. He didn't say anything. He reached over and brushed the hair from her face. When she looked into Eric's eyes, the Eric from her dreams was with her. The Eric that she fell in love with was by her side. The stranger that she married was gone.

Sleepily, she said, "I know your face." She let her hands move lovingly over his face. She traced his lips with her finger. "I know you."

"You do," he whispered.

His voice brought her back to reality. She was not the woman that was in his dreams. The little boys were not her children. It was Eric's family that she was seeing. She had seen into Eric's memories. Her hand was no longer caressing his face. She no longer saw the man from her dreams. The Eric that she fell in love with had been replaced by the man that was trying to win her back. It was the man that didn't love her when she wanted him to. Her heart ached for the Eric from so long ago; the Eric that she believed to be gone from her forever. Her dream was just that. The vision of the man and the children; they were something more.

"Are you feeling better?"

She didn't answer him. "You didn't go to the bar."

"No."

Eric stared deeply into her eyes. He noticed that she didn't answer his question. That could only mean that she wasn't feeling any better. Since the night she fainted he had been trying to feel her through the bond but there was nothing there. They shared blood frequently and there is no reason that the bond should be weakening after only a couple of days. Something was wrong and she didn't trust him enough to tell him what it is. She was hiding it from him. He knew that she wasn't going to willingly share it with him.

"Have you closed the bond to keep me from knowing what's wrong?"

Without missing so much as a beat, she said, "That has nothing to do with it though I have closed it. You know that. For six years you haven't wanted to know what I was feeling. You don't want to know what I'm feeling now." With a small chuckle, she said, "I sure don't want to know what you're feeling. I've had enough of that. The bond is useless. There is no need for it."

Eric winced as the sound of her words. "You can't mean that."

She meant it. There was nothing else for her to say about the bond. "It's done," she said. She moved on the earlier subject. "Have you been to the bar?"

"No."

"You've been with me the entire time?"

"Where else would I be? You're not well. I'm not leaving you."

A faint smile played across her lips. "You could have gone to the bar."

"I need to be here."

"I appreciate that but it was not necessary," she replied.

"It is obvious that you don't need me but I deemed it necessary to be here. I've also done something else that you may view as unnecessary but it is done. I've called Dr. Ludwig. She will be here to see you in a couple of days."

"I don't need a doctor."

Eric knew then that she was hiding something from him. He didn't need the bond to feel it. He could see it. "You need to see Dr. Ludwig. You're of fae ancestry. You don't get sick. You don't almost faint. Your glow isn't supposed to fade." He suddenly became shy. "I don't want to lose you."

Sookie didn't respond to his last sentence. She acted as if she didn't hear him. "I know how you like to keep busy. You've never been one to lie around. I can call Claudette. I know that she'll let me stay with her until I feel better. You don't have to stay home because of me. We don't have any marital obligations to attend to. There are no pressing appointments that I have and I know how important the bar is to you. You can leave me." She removed his hand from her face and placed it on the bed. She patted it gently before folding her hands underneath her head. "It won't upset me if you go."

Eric was insulted by her words. There was no need for her to turn to Claudette. "Do you think that I am not capable of taking care of you? If you distrust my capabilities, I can hire a nurse. I can get the staff to stay over until further notice but I will not leave you here alone without being looked after." He definitely didn't want her to go Fae. He was going to do whatever he needed to do to keep Fintan away from his wife.

She quickly shook her head. "None of that is necessary. I can't take them from their lives and I'm not going to take you away from yours. I just don't want to keep you from anything important." She wanted to throw in the name Freyda but she held her tongue. What would be the point? He wasn't going to tell her anything about Freyda no matter what she's said.

Firmly, Eric said, "This is important. You are important. I am not leaving you here alone."

Sookie knew that when Eric used that tone, that there was going to be no arguing with him. When he made a decision and if he felt that it was the best decision, there was no changing his mind.

"Did you close the bar?"

Settling into his spot, Eric said, "No. Pam and Clancy are running things tonight. I trust that they can handle it. They've done it before. Who do you think I left in charge when we would go out of town for the summits?"

"I have no idea. You've never shared that information with me before." The look on Sookie's face was blank. "I know nothing of Pam or Clancy. I know nothing of your business. I just know that you run a bar that you use to mainstream with the humans. So forgive me if I don't know who you leave in charge when you go out of town."

He'd put his foot in his mouth once again and he was tired of the taste of foot. It was as if no matter what he said or what he did it was never going to turn out as he wanted it to. He kept saying the wrong things.

"It's okay," she said. "It doesn't matter anymore."

He didn't like the sound of that but he was not going to let that one sentence determine the future that he has with his wife. The fact that she was allowing him to lay in bed with her was reason alone for him to believe that he still has a chance.

"Eric, are you there?"

He looked at her and apologized. "I was daydreaming. Forgive me. What were you saying?"

The blank expression remained on her face as she sighed. "Never mind," she said. "It doesn't matter." It wasn't the first time he'd ignored her. She was sure that it wouldn't be the last. She was about to turn her to back to him but he reached out to stop her.

"Don't do this," he begged. "Tell me what you were going to say."

Sookie lay on her back and looked up at the ceiling. She wasn't sure if she wanted to know the answer to the question that she was going to ask him. If he didn't hear her the first time, it may be for the best that she doesn't repeat it. She rolled her head to the side and looked at him. If he wanted to hear it, she was going to let him hear it all.

"I wanted you to answer something for me. Since we've been married, you've never gone out of your way to be especially nice to me. I hate being so cynical but this attention that you're lavishing upon me scares me." She paused for a brief moment. "It's almost as if you're a child that's about to lose a toy that he has tired of; a toy that has been thrown to the side and forgotten about. It's only now that you face the reality of losing said toy that you decide you want to keep said toy."

Eric was slighted by her words. "I've never seen you as a thing; a toy for me to play with."

"Your previous actions tell me something different."

"I was oblivious to what was before me."

"But now you're not?" Sighing, Sookie added, "Understand that I'm not angry. I just want you to know why it's so hard for me to accept this sudden interest that you have in me. You say that I'm beautiful and you tell me how important I am to you. You don't go to the bar because I'm not well. For six years I've wanted you to be this attentive to me but you weren't. I was nothing more than another woman to you. Now you expect me to fall in love with you all over again without pause."

Eric jumped up from the bed. He was no longer offended by her words. He wasn't angry. He was something more. "Never have you been just another woman to me. You've never been my toy. You've always been my wife. You hold the highest position in my life." His eyes were filled with anger and the anger was not aimed at her. He knew that it was he that has caused her to feel the way that she does. It was no one's fault but his.

"Such easy words to say," she replied. "You never showed me. You never told me. I was led to believe that I was nothing to you but now I'm everything to you. Why did you make me feel that way? Useless? Unloved and unwanted? I gave you all of me and everything that I had to offer. You gave me heartache and pain. Why would you do that?"

Eric was soon kneeled down at her side with her hand in his. It was on the tip of his tongue to tell her about Fintan. He wanted to tell her how Fintan had shown him how Sookie can manipulate others with a simple touch, a glance, or a smile. He'd seen the angriest vampire suddenly cower at her feet with only a smile from her. She had the deadliest Were packleader of the New Jersey werewolf pack wrapped around her little finger all because she placed her hand on his arm. He wanted to tell her how easy it was for him to believe Fintan's lies. He wanted to tell her that he'd seen it himself how she can make the most powerful supes bend to her will. He wanted to tell her that she couldn't blame him for thinking that way that he did. It was her grandfather's fault. He was the one that ruined their marriage. He was the one that destroyed their relationship.

Eric wanted to tell her that but he couldn't. He didn't want her to think that he was placing all of the blame on her grandfather. And that's what he would have done. She would tell him that he had a choice in what he wanted to believe. She would tell him that he didn't have to believe Fintan. He should have trusted her and her love. And she would be right. He didn't have to believe Fintan. Eric knew deep down why he was so willing to believe what he'd been told. He was afraid. Before meeting Sookie, he'd never had the need to relinquish his will to another. It was easier for him to believe that she was making him do it than for him to believe that he needed her more than he needed the blood to survive. So until the time was right, he told her the truth but in the simplest of terms.

"Because I was prideful and foolish," he said. "I was weak and I was wrong. It has never been you."

"Then why?" She looked down at his hand as it held hers. "Do I embarrass you? Is it because I'm more powerful than you are?"

"Never," he said as he brought her hand to his lips. "Never."

"Are you ashamed of me?"

Eric moved in closer to Sookie. "I've never been ashamed of you. I'm proud of you. I'm proud that you are my wife. Sookie, let me explain something to you. Vampires have never needed or wanted for anything; especially not a companion. That's what we use the humans for; sex and food." He moved in closer to her and said, "For me, it was true no longer. I had to make them all believe that I didn't need you. I had to make them think that you were no more than a contract with your people. They had to believe that I was sleeping with the fangbangers. I had no choice. They would have used my weakness against me."

Sookie was trying to understand his reason but she didn't. His reason was foreign to her. Her grandfather married a human woman and the fae didn't like it but their grumblings didn't keep him from loving her. They didn't feel that it was fair to the bloodline for a member of the royal family to marry a human and bring her into the fae realm. She didn't deserve the power or the life that comes with being a member of the royal family. She was human. Her grandfather didn't care what his kin thought. He wanted what he wanted and he got her. Only their love mattered. Nothing else. Why couldn't Eric do the same for her? Fintan made sure that Adele was respected by all fae. He has never excluded her from his life. She has always been by his side.

"My grandfather married a human and our people didn't approve of his love or devotion to her. He stood by her regardless of what they thought so by that logic, your explanation is moot."

That angered Eric; to be compared to a liar like Fintan Brigant. "I am not your grandfather."

She looked at him as if that was the most tragic revelation she'd ever heard. "That I know," she said sadly. "Why have I never been allowed to be a part of your life? Why have you never allowed me to be personal with Pam and Clancy?"

In his mind, he was protecting them. He didn't want them to be manipulated and toyed with the way that he believed Sookie had done him. He didn't know what to say to her so he said the next best thing. "I apologize for that. I was wrong."

"Are you allowing Pam to go with me on the trip because I told you that I was leaving you?"

"Yes," he said.

"I knew that," she said mostly to herself. "I just needed to hear you say it."

She was hesitant in asking him the next question because she knew the answer to that question too. She needed to hear him say it though. She had to hear him say it. "Has Freyda ever met them?"

His eyes dropped to his hands. She'd gotten her answer.

Sookie took her hand from Eric's. He looked up at her; sadness had filled him once again. She stared at him for a long while. Maybe Eric had the right idea all along; to keep their lives separate. It was going to be hard to do but it had to be done.

She yawned and said, "Thank you for staying with me but I'm really sleepy. Would you mind closing the door behind you when you leave?"

"It's not what you think," he started.

"It never is. I'm tired, Eric. I would like to rest now. Will you close the door, please?"

Eric said yes as he slowly stood to his feet. "I will. Do you need anything before I go?"

Smiling as she shook her head, Sookie said no. "Good night."

"You may not believe me now, Sookie but you are my first priority. You do hold the highest position in my life. I just wanted you to know that. Good night," Eric replied as he closed the door behind him.

Once he was gone, Sookie buried herself deep into her covers. She closed her eyes and sighed as she settled into her bed. Tonight had been a productive night. Even after all that had been said and done, she and Eric had a civil conversation. She didn't get the answers that she wanted but that was okay. She'd learned two things about herself tonight. She learned that she is proud of the decision that she has made to live a happier life and though she didn't want to do it, she also learned that she wasn't afraid of facing a future without Eric.

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The Swedish words in the order in which they were spoken.

_"You are excused."_

_"Daddy's home!"_

_"I've missed you, my sons."_

_"Will you stay this time?"_

_"For as long as I can."_

_"Who are you?"_


	18. Chapter 18

**A Marriage of Convenience?**

**I'm sorry that I couldn't get the third chapter up over the weekend. I did my best but I had more on plate than I expected. Thank you all so much for your time and patience. I appreciate each favorite and alert. I also appreciate the reviews. What I appreciate the most is the time that you've given to me and this story. Thank you all so much.**

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Sookie woke up at 6:00 am the next morning. As she sat up in bed, she forced a mass of hair out of her face and she then rubbed the last remnants of sleep from her eyes. Out of habit, she looked to her left, expecting to see Eric laying there beside her but she was alone. She tried smiling. The fitful sleep from last night had nothing to do with Eric not being with her. That was what she kept telling herself and that was her truth. It was what she wanted; to be alone and away from him. She didn't want to be in the same room with Eric. She needed her own space and she told him as much. She got what she wanted. She nodded her head in acknowledgement of her decision. It the best decision for her.

To show her enthusiasm, Sookie eagerly got out of bed. The room instantly began spinning. She tried reaching for the bed but she wasn't quite quick enough. She fell to the floor and she fell hard.

Suddenly, there was a pounding at her bedroom door. "Mrs. Northman! Mrs. Northman!" One of the guards that Eric had hired to watch over her came storming into the room. His gun was drawn and he was ready to kill. He saw Sookie on the floor but he had to be sure that there was no danger in her room. His dark black eyes scanned the room thoroughly. He went to the closets and he checked the bathroom. When he realized that they were the only ones in the room, he picked Sookie up from the floor and placed her on the bed.

"Marco, what are you doing here? I fired you last week."

"No, you didn't," he said. "If you had fired me, I wouldn't be here would I?"

"I did fire you and don't tell Eric."

Marco raised his eyebrows and shook his head. "I can't do that, Mrs. Northman. I won't do that. Mr. Northman hired me to look after you. What you've requested of me is something that I cannot do."

"He's going to worry."

"He should."

"We need to keep this quiet."

"We won't."

Sookie looked at Marco and frowned. "You're fired!"

He laughed at her. "No I'm not. I don't work for you. I work for you husband."

"To protect me," Sookie reiterated.

"For him," Marco contended.

There was nothing else for Sookie to say but, "Get out of my room."

As he closed the door behind him, he said, "I'll be around."

When he was gone, Sookie began to go over the last few days of her life. She couldn't understand why she was ill. She wasn't stressed because of the changes that she's made in her life. She and Eric haven't argued in almost two days. Nothing was out of the ordinary. She hadn't eaten much but her kind didn't have to eat much to survive. As she thought about the fact that she hadn't eaten very much, she realized that she was hungry. The most that Sookie had eaten was potato chips and three Oreo cookies that she had to fight Claudine for. She knew just what she needed to start her day off on the right foot.

After a hot shower and fresh clothes, Sookie went downstairs to make herself a huge breakfast. She was determined that she was going to cook every breakfast food that was in the kitchen. She smiled as she walked down the stairs and dreamed of the extra crispy bacon. Before she reached the kitchen, she inhaled. Someone, Ms. Jane more likely than not, had already filled the house with the sweet aroma of breakfast. There in the breakfast room waiting on her were pancakes, eggs, extra crispy bacon, toast, cinnamon rolls, hashbrowns, and fruit.

"Goody," Sookie said giddily as she clapped her hands and did a little jig. Placing the napkin neatly on her lap, she called out to Jane. "You've really out done yourself this morning. How did you know that I was starving to death? Thank you."

Carrying two glasses of orange juice, Claudette came out of the kitchen. "Anytime, cousin."

Sookie's mouth fell open from surprise. She's never known for her cousin to cook breakfast for anyone other than herself. "You cooked all of this?"

"I sure did."

Sookie shook her head. "You are such a liar. You did not."

"This bit of information may be unbeknownst to you but I've been called the Rachel Ray of the supernatural world. Sometimes I may be called Giada but I prefer Rachel."

Sookie raised her eyebrow and asked, "Why is that?"

"Because I'm wholesome and just as sweet as they come. Just like Rachel," Claudette replied.

"Liar!" Sookie cried out as she laughed.

Pointing at the blueberry pancakes, Claudette said, "Homemade; not from a box. Every ingredient that I used was fresh. Taste them and then tell me that it's like heaven in your mouth."

Sookie put two pancakes on her plate. She didn't defile them with syrup and butter; not just yet. She wanted to taste her cousin's '_fresh ingredients and homemade'_ pancakes. When she bit into the pancakes, Sookie expected to cut them open to only have batter flow out of them but that didn't happen. When she put the bite of pancake in her mouth, it did feel like heaven was in her mouth. She closed her eyes as she savored the sweetness of the plump, fresh blueberries and sweet bread that was wrapped around them.

"Go on and say it," Claudette said as she filled her plate with food. "Tell me how good the breakfast is. Tell me that it's the best breakfast that you've ever eaten in your entire life."

With her mouth full of pancakes, Sookie did as her cousin ordered. "They're delicious. I've never eaten pancakes this delicious before."

Claudette's head swelled with each praise. "Wait until you try the coffee. It's fresh ground with a hint of brown sugar and hazelnut. You'd never guess that it was decaf."

Sookie could feel her body relaxing as she sipped on the coffee. "Oh my," she moaned. Her eyes were wide and glazed over. "Ms. Ray, you have truly outdone yourself."

For the next half hour or so, Sookie and Claudette ate in silence and it was not because Claudette didn't want to talk. It was because Sookie didn't have enough room in her mouth for words. She ate everything that Claudette cooked. She drank two mugs of coffee and three glasses of orange juice.

As Sookie massaged her full and sated belly, Claudette cleared the table. She didn't do it the way humans would have. She snapped her fingers and the breakfast room looked as if it had never been used.

"Thank you so much, Claudette. The breakfast was so delicious. Claudine would have loved this. Why didn't she come with you?"

Claudette sighed. "I've had enough of Claudine to last me a lifetime. I left without her knowing that I was going anywhere. She was getting on my nerves. Anyway, I've cooked for her before. She's never satisfied with what I prepare. She always wants to add something extra."

The cousins laughed and sat in silence for a few moments. The breakfast was delicious and she couldn't have asked for better but Sookie felt that something was missing. She was hungry for something more. She hungered for that something extra. She just didn't know what it was. She just knew that she needed it.

"Since you're not going to volunteer any information, I'm guessing that you're going to make me ask. How did things go last night?"

"Okay," Sookie replied. "Eric and I talked but he didn't say anything that would make any difference in our relationship. He told me this and he told me that. We're no closer than we were before. Why? Did you think that you were going to have to follow through with your threat?" Sookie giggled.

Claudette blushed. "No. I only said that as a joke. I'd never hurt him. I kinda like him."

Sookie couldn't believe her ears. She sat straight up in her seat; her hand no longer massaging her full and sated belly. "What do you mean '_I kinda like him'_? You're kidding me right?"

"I'm not."

There was no way that Sookie was hearing Claudette correctly. Neither of Sookie's cousins liked Eric; especially Claudine. When they learned that she had been promised to a vampire, they were livid. They even went so far as to plan on kidnapping her to keep them from getting married. And when she told them of how he treated her, they were more supportive of her decision to leave him than their grandparents were. They told her that they would stand by her but now she hears that Claudette likes Eric. Claudette likes Eric?

"When did this newfound affection for Eric come about?"

Claudette shrugged her shoulders. "He's not all bad." A sly smile played across Claudette's lips.

Sookie stared at her cousin and didn't like what she saw. Claudette was twirling a long brown curl around her point finger and swaying from side to side. Her bright green eyes were lit up like Christmas tree lights. Not that Sookie was jealous but she couldn't help but wonder if Claudette had a crush on her husband?

Trying to keep her voice cool and steady, Sookie asked, "When did you decide that you liked my husband? I mean Eric?"

Claudette looked at Sookie with a frown on her face. "What do you mean?"

Sookie rested her elbows on the table and said, "You've never liked him before. What's changed?"

Claudette's body tensed. "I hope that you're not saying what I think you're saying."

"I'm not saying anything," Sookie replied innocently. "I only want to know why you've changed your mind about Eric. It was only a few weeks ago that you told me that I should leave him. You said that I shouldn't tolerate being mistreated and disrespected. Now you've changed your mind. I'm just wondering why this sudden turn around."

Claudette started laughing. "You're jealous!"

"I'm not."

"Yes you are. This is too funny. Sookie, my love, I don't want your husband. You can keep him."

"I don't want him."

"Whatever helps you sleep at night. Anyway, do you remember what I said to you in the kitchen last night? I told you that I know things?" She didn't give Sookie a chance to answer as she reached across the table and held her hand. Looking deeply into her eyes, Claudette said, "I know things."

Sookie knew that whatever Claudette knew had to have been important. Claudette had all of sudden decided that she likes Eric. She cooked Sookie a big breakfast and she wasn't cracking any jokes. The scariest part of the entire thing was that Claudette wasn't being mean.

"Let's go into the living room. We need to get comfortable." The girls held hands as they walked to the other room. They settled onto the couch and looked at each other.

Claudette began to rub the arm of the couch, "Is this the couch that you ordered?"

Sookie smiled and nodded. "Beautiful, isn't it?"

"Yes," Claudette replied. "And so soft and comfortable." She began to bounce up and down a little. "Was it expensive?"

"Not at all," Sookie said. She was about to tell Claudette how much it was but she stopped herself. They were forever getting sidetracked but not this time. Whatever needed to be said was going to be said. "There is going to be no beating around the bush, you hear me? You're going to tell me why you all of sudden like Eric and then you're going to tell me what you know. After that, we'll talk about the couch."

"Eric saved my life." At least she did as Sookie said. She didn't beat around the bush.

Sookie's mouth dropped open. Since they've been married, Sookie's never known for Eric to do anything for anyone in her family other than what was required of him. If it wasn't business related, he didn't go to family dinners. He was never interested in movie night. He didn't appear to like any of them at all. Sookie was at a loss for words when she'd heard that Eric had saved Claudette's life.

"He was the one that told me about Lucian's plan to kill me." Claudette threw her thick hair over her shoulder. "Eric and I talked and we came up with our own plan. He helped me kill a couple of them." With a sinister smile on her face, she said, "I killed Lucian. The rest is history."

"My Eric?" Sookie asked.

"Your Eric," Claudette answered.

"He helped you …on purpose?"

"Yes."

"Did he expect anything from you in return?"

"Yes."

Sookie had a smirk on her face; one that said, '_I knew it_'. "What did you have to give him?"

"My word; I could never tell you."

The '_I knew it_' smirk was gone. She fell back against the couch and thought of her cousin's words. Claudette rested her head on Sookie's lap. Sookie began to play with her hair as Claudette looked up at her.

"What is it?"

Looking down at her cousin, Sookie asked, "Why are you telling me? If you gave him your word that you would never tell me, why are you telling me? You have never been one to go back on a promise. You've always been good about that. That has always been your second best quality. You're trustworthy."

"Really?" Claudette tilted her head to the right and smiled. "What's my best quality?"

Sookie said, "Your hair. It is so thick and ...no. Tell me why you've decided to tell me."

"You needed to know that Eric's not all bad. He has some good in him." She reached up and pinched the tip of Sookie's nose and said, "You know that I'm telling the truth. You've seen the good in him. That's why you fell in love with him."

Sookie pushed Claudette's head from her lap. "It's not going to change anything. I'm not going to be with him. He's ruined it. Whatever happens to us from this point on, it's his fault. So no matter what you tell me, I'm not going to change my mind."

Claudette sat on the other end of the couch and placed her feet on Sookie's lap. "What if he didn't ruin it? Would you try?"

"There are no '_what ifs_', Claudette. He did ruin it."

"Last night, I lied to you when I said that I couldn't take you home. I didn't stay with Claudine and I didn't have to sneak out of her house. I had to go home. _Gran_ called me home."

"So?"

Claudette suddenly looked sad and the sadness wasn't for Gran.

Sookie's heart began to beat at a rapid pace. "Is she okay?"

Claudette didn't say anything.

"I just saw her the other night. She looked fine. She was happy. Nothing has happened to her, has it?"

"Not physically," Claudette replied. "But you know, Gran. That old bird is going to be fine. She told me some things that may change your decision about your marriage. She wanted to talk to you but she couldn't get away from Fintan. She told him that she needed to come here but he won't let her out of his sight." Claudette rolled her eyes. "It's springtime in Fae and you know how we get. Plus they have the festival going on. It'll be quite awhile before she gets to come back to this realm. So she called me."

Sookie knew what her cousin was talking about. During the springtime in Fae, sex was the only thing on anyone's mind. Even in the human realm the springtime fever stayed with them. She began to think that may be why she's been ill. She has spring fever. She needed the closeness of her mate. Sookie then thought about Claudette's words. Gran never wanted to _get away_ from grandpa; especially during the springtime.

"You said that Gran couldn't get away from grandfather. She's never wanted to get away from him. She loves the springtime and the festival. I've never known for either of them to want to leave the other during the season." As an afterthought, Sookie added, "You need to call him grandfather. You know how he hates it when you call him Fintan."

"_Fintan_ will just have to get over himself. He will pretty soon. Gran's leaving him."

"You mean she's coming here to stay for awhile?" Before she asked the question, Sookie already knew the answer.

"She's _leaving_ him."

Sookie's hands instantly went to her mouth. Gran couldn't leave her grandfather. They were meant to be. Gran said that. Gran has always said that. "They're in love. They've always been in love. You've made a mistake. Maybe you heard her wrong." Tears were falling from Sookie's eyes. Claudette held Sookie and let her cry.

Claudette knew that Sookie would take it the hardest of all the grandchildren. She has always believed in love. She was the only one that hung on Gran's every word when she told them the love story of Fintan and Adele. They weren't like Sookie's and Claudette and Claudine's parents. They were monogamous. Their parents sleep with the other faeries. Adele and Fintan only shared flesh with each other. They had a love that was supposed to last. They had the only true love in Faery. They were the reason Sookie believed that love existed.

"She can't leave him," Sookie whispered into Claudette's hair.

"She is." She kissed Sookie's head. "She has to."

Sookie leaned her back against the arm of the couch and stared at her cousin. "Does he know?"

Claudette shook her head. "You know that she can't tell him. He'll never let her go but she's going to tell him. She wants to make sure that things are in order for you first. She wants your marriage to work, Sookie. Gran has always believed in you and Eric."

"Grandfather loves her more than Eric has ever loved me."

Claudette slowly shook her head. "Not according to Gran."

"What?"

"She found out about his lies …his deceit …his manipulations. He's not what she believed him to be."

Sookie began crying again. "That's not true. He'd never betray her. He loves her."

Claudette didn't understand why Sookie was crying. She's known other faeries that have done what Fintan has done. What she's learned is nothing new. They're faeries. Faeries lie, deceive, and manipulate. Her now dead husband was no different than Fintan; cruel for sport. They've never cared about whom it is that they hurt as long as they get what they want. They have never given a second thought or cared when it comes to the feelings of others. It angered her to see Sookie crying over Fintan. He wasn't the honorable faery that she believed him to be. He definitely wasn't better than Eric. She needed to save those tears for something else; movie night for instance. She didn't need to waste them on Fintan.

"It is true. Fintan is not what you think he is."

Sookie hated it when anyone talked bad about her grandfather. Claudette has never been Fintan's biggest fan but Sookie was not going to sit back and let her disrespect him. "You take that back! You will not speak ill of our grandfather!"

Claudette couldn't believe her ears. "After the way he's deceived Gran, you're still going to defend him? He's a liar and a cheat, Sookie. He's just like his father. The only difference is that Niall never hid anything that he did. If Niall was going to stab you in the back, he'd let you see the knife before he did it. Niall did his dirt to your face. Not Fintan. Fintan's a coward and a hypocrite."

"Don't say that!"

"Will you stop defending him? He's not different than the other male fae. You don't see it because you think that he does no wrong." With pity in her eyes, Claudette said, "He's a liar and he's deceitful. He manipulative and he's cruel."

"He deserves nothing but our respect. He has given us so much and asks for so little in return. How do you think it him feel if he heard you say these things about him? It would destroy him."

Claudette was angrier than she's ever been. She couldn't stand to hear Sookie defending him. "You're so naïve, Sookie. He doesn't care what I or anyone else thinks of him. Fintan puts no one first but himself; not even his wife. He doesn't love any of us. He doesn't respect any of us."

It hurt Sookie to hear Claudette say such things. "Why would you say that? He loves us."

Claudette jumped up from the couch and yelled, "He loves us? Fintan loves us? He doesn't love any of us; not me,Claudine, or you. If he loved you at all, he wouldn't have destroyed your marriage."

Silence filled the room.


	19. Chapter 19

**A Marriage of Inconvenience?**

**I want to thank y'all for being so patient with me as the story progressed. I've received messages that I shouldn't have made it appear that Sookie was going to leave Eric. I am being told that I'm misleading. Sookie didn't know about Fintan playing around with her marriage. One PM said that I made Sookie ditzy and that she was wishy washy when it comes to Eric. I can honestly say that when I dumped my boyfriend for cheating, and unlike Eric, he really cheated, I didn't stop loving him overnight. It took me a few months. Sookie's no different than any other woman when it comes to being in love. Some women stay in a marriage for fifty years knowing that their husband has been unfaithful and they still love him. **

**I have to ask, is it really love if you can stop loving someone the very next day after you've found out that they've betrayed you?**

**I hope that you all enjoy. I'll also try to have the next chapter posted Tuesday.**

**I don't own the characters. They belong to Charlaine Harris. The idea is mine.**

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"Fintan is the main reason that your marriage is in the state in which it is. Gran found out the other night. She overheard him on the phone talking to Eric."

To hear that Eric called her grandfather was news. Sookie had no idea that they kept in contact with each other. "She heard him while he was talking to Eric? Did she know for sure that it was him? What did Fintan say?"

"Yeah, she knew. Fintan called him the vampire. He laughed when Eric told him that you were leaving him. Fintan thought that it was funny. It was amusing to him to hear that he had destroyed your marriage. Unbeknownst to either of you, you two played right into his hands. Let me tell you what Gran said."

As Claudette talked, Sookie listened. Never in her wildest dreams would she have imagined that this is what Claudette was going to tell her. She thought that she was going to tell her that Colman was betrothed to another faery and that Fintan knew about it. Or maybe that the elves aren't as weird as they had all believed them to be. Fintan had placed spells on all of them and come to find out, they were as normal as they were. She probably would have been able to handle any of that but to hear that her beloved grandfather had sabotaged her marriage …that was something that Sookie had never expected; not in a million years.

"But I did love Eric. I loved him the moment I met him. I saw something in his eyes. He told Eric that there is no way that I could really love him?" Sookie asked.

"Yes. He told Eric that every feeling that you'd ever felt for him wasn't real. He said that there's no way that you could ever love him. Faeries can't love vampires. He told Eric that you were making him believe that you loved him."

Sookie winced as her hand clutched at her chest; not because of what her cousin had revealed to her but because Eric could have believed Fintan's lies. Looking at her cousin, she said, "He believed him."

Claudette hated to see the pained look on Sookie's face but she needed to hear what type of man of grandfather is. If she could have, she would've taken the pain away. "Sookie, you've seen our kin in action when it comes to getting what we want. We will resort to anything. When Eric would visit the palace, Fintan would have him watch you and how you mingled with certain guests. Take the night of your engagement party, for example. Remember Sheena?" Claudette asked.

Sheena is the most hostile elf to have ever lived in Faery. No one ever invites her to any type of function. When she's around, there's usually a fight or a death. Sheena is usually the cause of one or both outcomes. She never gets along with anyone. She's extremely violent and she very rarely smiles; that is until she met Sookie. Fintan invited Sheena to the palace on the night that he and Adele were going to announce Sookie's marriage to Eric. Sheena is a prominent figure in Faery and she has worked closely with the royal family before so it was really shouldn't have been a surprise that Sheena had been invited but it was. She and Eric were celebrating their pending marriage and Fintan invited the worst elf possible to the party. Sookie didn't understand that but she never questioned her grandfather. At the time, she figured that there had to have been a reason; just not the reason at hand.

She looked Claudette in the eyes and said, "He invited her to prove a point to Eric."

"That's what Gran and I think. The more we talked, the more we could clearly see what Fintan was doing. When Sheena entered the ballroom, she was fussing and carrying on. She threatened anyone that brushed against her. Never once did she smile when she heard a joke or if someone said something even slightly amusing. She almost gave poor Periwinkle a heart attack when he offered her a drink. She would have been mad all night long if …"

"Grandfather hadn't told me that she was going to ruin my engagement party," Sookie finished. "He told me that I needed to handle her. Eric and I were laughing and talking when Fintan came to me and made the suggestion. They both watched me as I walked over to where she was." Sookie could only imagine what Fintan said to Eric as she replaced Sheena's feelings of anger and malice with calm and love.

Claudette touched Sookie's arm. "Did you notice that quite a few of the guests were guests that you needed to handle? It was a set up, Sookie."

"Why didn't I see it?"

"Why would you? None of us saw it. The guests were people that we've always known. They are important members of our world. If Fintan told you that they were going to ruin your and Eric's night if you didn't '_handle_' them, what were you supposed to do? You wouldn't have known what Fintan was up to. None of us knew; not even Gran."

"Poor Gran," Sookie whispered. "Her poor heart must be breaking. He's not what she believed him to be." Placing her hand on Claudette's lap, Sookie said, "I need to see her."

"She's fine," Claudette said. But the look in her eyes told Sookie something entirely different. "Before we worry about anything else, we need to figure this out; Gran's orders."

"But she's …"

"Gran's orders," Claudette said firmly. "You can't go home. Not now."

They've never disobeyed Gran and when Gran gave an order, all of the Brigant offspring knew that it was to be followed regardless of your position in the land of Fae.

"Okay," she replied.

As the girls sat in silence, Sookie went over in her mind why Fintan would do this to her. He knew how much it meant to her to be with Eric. She told Fintan that she saw something in Eric's eyes. She knew that he was the one. Sookie told him how much she loved Eric and how she wanted to be with him. Even without the contract, Eric was the one that she wanted. Sookie became angrier as she thought of the hug that her grandfather gave her after she told him how she felt about Eric.

"He told me that he was happy for me. He told me that he couldn't have chosen a better mate for me. I believed him."

"I'm so sorry cousin but he didn't mean it. He never meant it. Sookie, may I ask you a question?"

She nodded.

"I know that you can't read our minds but you can feel things when you touch us. Why didn't you feel his true intentions?"

"He hid them from me. His hugs were always filled with love. His kisses were genuine. His blessings were true. I can only guess that he meant those things but only for me; never for Eric."

Sookie's anger increased as the reality of Claudette's words sunk in. Her grandfather had purposely destroyed her marriage. He'd led Eric to believe that she could never love him. Eric believed that he was nothing more than a pawn in a game that she was playing. Fintan never cared about her happiness. He only wanted them married because of the contract. It would benefit him and he was the only one that mattered. Sookie's brow then furrowed. Anger was soon replaced with hurt.

"Eric believed him."

Claudette nodded.

"Why would he believe him?"

"Because he felt that Fintan knew you better than he did and …"

"That's no excuse," Sookie interrupted. "He believed me to be deceitful and manipulative. He believed that I would trick him into loving me. I would never have done that to him, Claudette. I would never want to have to resort to trickery to have a man love me; no matter how much I want him."

She knew that Sookie would never do that. Claudette only wished that Eric had followed his heart. "I don't know what to say."

Sookie looked down at her hands and said, "There's nothing to say is there? Do you know what he told me last night? Eric told me that he never wanted to lose me. He told me that I'm more than just another woman and that I hold the highest position in his life." She looked at Claudette and said, "I'm all of those things to him but he would willingly believe that I …that I would make a fool of him. How can that be?"

Looking into Sookie's eyes was more painful that she expected. Claudette wanted to take the pain away. She wanted to tell Sookie that everything was going to be alright but she didn't want to lie so she said nothing. Her heart was heavy and it was breaking. She knew what it felt like to be in love and then be betrayed in the worst way. She wanted to give Sookie the right answer but she didn't have it. For the first time ever, she didn't know what to say.

"I wish I knew."

Sookie decided to return to the subject of Fintan betrayals. "When I went home to tell him and Gran that I wanted out of the contract, he sent me back here to be with Eric. They both sent me back and that was before Gran knew anything about Fintan's betrayal. If he wanted me to be away from Eric, he should've kept me there."

"Gran told me about that. She feels awful about letting you down," Claudette answered. "She said that she believed that if you'd returned home, you would've been hurting yourself in the long run. She was thinking of your obligation to our races."

"She would've been right."

"Fintan wanted you to stay here so that you can hate Eric. He wants Eric to mistreat you. He wants your hatred for Eric to grow. He wants you and Eric to live apart. He thought that once you were clean of the vampire, you'd be suitable for what awaits you once you return home."

"Why?"

Claudette rolled her eyes. "It's springtime, silly."

"I know."

"Do you know nothing of our traditions? During the springtime, you grow closer to your mate. You become one. You are no longer one person. You and your mate will become one soul; one being. And because of that, anything could happen."

Sookie blushed. "I've never had a mate in Fae. You know that. I wouldn't know what the springtime does to you."

Claudette made a silly face, "Sorry, I forgot that you had a white wedding. One more lover and I would have been wearing black. Claudine would have worn brown and poor Claudia would've gone naked."

The girls giggled at Claudette's words. Obviously, that was her goal because she winked at Sookie before she continued.

"You don't have to have a lover in Fae. The one that you're with, the one that you've chosen as your mate is the one that becomes a part of you. You don't have to be in our world to have the spring fever. You have to be fae and ta-da, you're fae. You're powerful Sookie and for you, _anything_ can happen. Because you love Eric, anything can happen. From what Gran has learned, as soon as the contact has expired, Fintan has already chosen you another mate so when you return home you can little fae children."

"Why wouldn't he just keep me in Faery?"

Claudette began knocking on Sookie's head as if she was knocking on the door. "Have you not heard anything I've said? Think about it."

Sookie's eyes widen. "Hatred!" she exclaimed. "It's springtime!"

"Exactly," Claudette said. She fell back onto the couch as if she was completely exhausted.

"Cissy?"

"Yeah?"

"Why did Eric call Fintan?"

"To confront him," Claudette replied.

"About what?" Sookie asked.

"You."

"Me?"

"He wanted to know why Fintan told him that you never loved him." Claudette shrugged her shoulders as she sat up on the couch. "He felt stupid for believing what Fintan told him, I guess. He should have felt stupid, the fucking idiot. Any doofus could have seen that you were in love with him."

"He told me that he didn't want to lose me."

Claudette looked at Sookie with a cocked eye. "I guess he realized that he shouldn't have listened to Fintan."

"Thanks for telling me."

"I wouldn't have wanted you to learn of this from anyone else. It's best that I am the one that told you."

"Why?"

"Would have believed Eric if he'd told you?"

Sookie shook her head without even thinking about it.

"If Gran had told you, would have believed her?"

Sookie was about to answer her with a big fat yes but she closed her mouth. She didn't know. Especially with Gran sending her back to Eric without listening to her plea, she didn't know.

"See," Claudette said as she patted Sookie's on the shoulder. "I have nothing to gain from any of this. The main reason I agreed to do this for Gran was because I believe in love and I believe in you."

"I know and I've always believed in you."

"May I ask you something?"

"Sure."

She kicked off her shoes and placed her feet on Sookie's lap. "Will you massage my feet? I've had a hectic morning."

Sookie laughed and said, "Yes but only because you made me such a delicious breakfast." She began massaging her tired cousin's feet.

As she began to relax, Claudette spoke again. "May I ask you another question?"

"Sure."

"Do you love him?"

Sookie wanted to say no but she couldn't. She loved Eric the very day they'd met. She loved him before she told him that the marriage was over and she loved him the day after she told him that the marriage was over. She wanted to fall out of love with him as quickly as she could but it hadn't happened as she had expected it to. She thought that she would wake up the next morning and every feeling that she'd ever had for him would be gone. The hurt, the pain, and the love hadn't gone anywhere.

"I don't want to love him," she said. "I want to hate him for making me believe that he cheated on me. I want to hate him for ignoring me at the summits and acting as if I didn't exist. We'd have sex and he wouldn't kiss me. He has an entire life, Claudette that I'm not a part of. If I had any sense at all, I'd hate him with every fiber of my being. I want to hate him but I don't."

"I know. It's hard to hate them when you've loved them for so long. You may not believe this but I hated killing Lucian but I knew that it was something that I had to do. It was either going to be me or him. I decided that it was going to be him."

Sookie knew how much Lucian meant to Claudette. He was her everything. She met him in the earthly realm. He was different and she loved that about him. She didn't care that he was a Were and he didn't care that she was a fae. He didn't care that she came from the royal family and that she was beyond wealthy either; so she thought.

"I loved him, Sookie." Tears fell from Claudette's eyes. "He made me laugh when I wanted to cry. He would talk to me. I loved it when he talked to me. He wasn't like the others. He didn't always have a '_yes_' response for everything that I said. He didn't mind telling me that I was wrong. He stood up to me when the others would bend to my will. He was strong and I liked that."

Giggling, Sookie said, "I thought that it was funny that he could get you to shut up when no one else could. You'd be on one of your rants but as soon as he walked into the room your lips would find his and we would hear nothing else from you for hours. That was heaven."

She sat up and punched Sookie in the arm as they laughed together. When the laughing died down, the mood in the room changed. Claudette said, "I never got to tell him that I was pregnant."

Sookie stopped massaging Claudette's feet. She couldn't believe what she'd heard. Claudette never told anyone that she was pregnant. "Why didn't you tell us?"

"I never got to the chance to tell anyone. I'd found out that he was trying to kill me but I found out too late."

"What happened to the baby?"

"He fed me the deadliest fruit."

"No!" At that moment, Sookie wished that Lucian was alive so that she could take her time and kill him.

"I was almost dead. Eric found me just in time and he saved me." Claudette placed her hand on her stomach as she continued. "As you can see, I survived. My baby didn't."

"Oh, Cissy," Sookie said.

When she went in to give Claudette a hug, she raised her hands in the halt motion. "Don't; please." She knew that if Sookie hugged her, the tears would have never stopped. She didn't want that. Today wasn't about her or her marriage to Lucian. It was about Sookie and Eric. "After I was healed, Eric told me about Lucian's plan. He'd overheard him talking to some other Weres."

"Did he give you his blood?" She dropped her eyes to her hands so that her cousin couldn't see what was in her eyes. Sookie hoped that she would say no. She hated feeling that way but the thought of Claudette feeding from Eric made her jealous. It was too personal; too sexual to do with just anyone. That was something that should only be shared at the most intimate of times.

"No," Claudette answered. "He said that he did not share his blood with just anyone; not even his in-laws. He had Pam give me blood. He said that he has never given his blood to anyone but his wife and child."

Relief filled her completely but her face and body remained neutral. "I'm glad that she was there."

"I'll bet you are." Claudette laughed. "After I was well, we went on a roaring rampage and killed the traitors. I killed Lucian but not before I told him about the baby. The look of pain on his face when I told him that he killed our child will be my sweetest revenge. To have him die filled with pain and guilt was more than I could have asked for." Her eyes were a bright and deadly green. Her breathing had quickened. Her smile was evil. She was basking in the last moments of his life. Sookie gripped Claudette's hand and shared in her glory.

Lucian's dark black eyes were clouded over with pain. His agonizing screams filled the night air as he dropped to his knees. The sight of Claudette's sword sweeping through the air and removing his head as that very moment was the sweetest revenge. For all time, his face would hold his agony and his pain. His afterlife would be his just punishment.

"Beautiful," Sookie whispered.

"Glorious," Claudette said as she squeezed Sookie's hand. "I know that what he did was wrong and he never should've placed faith in anything that Fintan had to say but Eric's not all bad, Sookie. He helped me kill when he was supposed to have no part of it. He saved me. He's never cheated. He regrets what he's done to you; especially how he's made you feel." Laughing, Claudette added, "At least he's never tried to kill you."

"For the record, no matter how you try to make that funny, it's never going to be. And as far as Eric goes, I thought that he loved me. What hurts the most is that I trusted him to never hurt me and he did." Sookie placed her hand to her chest and said, "You and Gran can't expect me to forget the way he's treated me. A few sweet words and the truth behind his treatment of me; those words aren't going to make things better. Eric had a choice and he chose to believe Fintan."

"I know that," Claudette replied. "You don't have to make a decision right now and you don't have to make a decision based on what Gran and I think. Look, I have an idea. You leave Eric a note and tell him that you're going to go a little sabbatical with me. It'll give us a little girl time and it gives you some time to think. You can make your decision then. What do you say? Me and you? A few laughs? My treat?"

Sookie loved the idea of a little stress-free time. It would give her the time that she needed to figure out what she really wanted to do with her life. Did she want to be free or did she want to make her marriage work? There was only one thing that she could do. She popped herself to the kitchen and grabbed a notepad and a pen from the utility drawer.

After she'd written Eric a note, she popped to her room and packed her a bag and grabbed her purse. Within seconds, she was back in the living room with Claudette.

"I'm ready," she said with a smile.

Claudette stood up from the couch and took Sookie's hand. "We are going to have a great time." Before they popped away, she looked at Sookie and said, "While we're there, you can tell me all about that secret you've been hiding."

"What are you talking a...?"

"Something is going on with you," Claudette said with certainty as she cut Sookie's sentence short. "You're different."

Lafayette said the same thing. Sookie didn't know what he or Claudette was talking about. She'd been sick but there was nothing more to it. "There's nothing going on and there's no secret. I've just been going through a lot lately and ..."

Claudette shook her head. "I'm not buying it. You're hiding something and I'm going to find out what it is."


	20. Chapter 20

**A Marriage of Inconvenience?**

**Thank you all so much for your reviews, favorites, and alerts. I especially want to thank y'all for sticking with the story and understanding how Sookie and Eric feel. They've both been duped and they've paid a pretty penny for it. In time, we will get the answers to the questions that are still lingering out there. What's wrong with Sookie? Who is Freyda and what is she to Eric? I promise, your questions will be answered. They may not be answered as soon as you'd like but we will get there. **

**Th characters belong to Charlaine Harris but the story idea is mine. **

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_Eric,_

_I'm going away for awhile to think things over. So much has happened and I need time to rethink my life. There's no need for you to worry about me because I'm with Claudette. She'll make sure that I'm okay. I'll talk to you soon._

_Sookie._

Sookie had written him the note a week ago and Eric had read it everyday since she left. They hadn't spoken to each other since the night before she left. He tried calling her but she left her cell phone behind. He heard it ringing in her office. He didn't mind that she'd gone on a vacation with Claudette. Maybe it would help her in her decision on whether or not they could make their marriage work. He also hoped that the getaway would improve her health. Her safety was never a concern because he knew that Sookie would be safe with Claudette. She couldn't have been feeling very well when she left because of what Marco told him.

As soon as he'd risen for the night, Marco went to Eric and told him that he'd found Sookie on the floor of her bedroom and that she didn't look the same. He said that there was something different about her. He told Eric that Sookie didn't want him to know that he'd found her on the floor but he felt that it was in her best interest. Just as Eric suspected, she argued and fired him. The very idea of her being ill and he not being there if she needed him, worried him. When he discovered that she'd left her phone, he called Claudette.

"Thank you for calling Fun in the Sun. This is Claudette speaking. How can I help you today?"

Eric laughed. "It's nighttime, Claudette."

"Where you are it's nighttime but we're having fun in the sun."

Eric was no longer laughing. He'd assumed that they were close by. He never figured that they were in another time zone. Sookie didn't need to be that far away from him; especially since he didn't know where she was. The possessive vampire in him made an appearance. The warm and playful voice from earlier had turned into ice. "Where is my wife and where have you taken her?"

"Cool down, Eric" Claudette said. Soon she was laughing. "Did you get my joke? I told a vampire to cool down. You can't cool down. You're already cold." She cackled even louder.

Obviously, he didn't like the joke. He didn't smile and he didn't laugh. His only concern was for Sookie. If Claudette had taken Sookie back to Faery, whatever plans Fintan had for them, could possibly be put into action. That was something that he did not want. If Fintan gets his hands on Sookie, Eric knew deep down that he'd never get her back. The very thought frightened him. "Tell me where my wife is."

"She's with me."

"I hope that you didn't take her to Faery. Did you take her to Fin…?"

Claudette was no longer laughing. She was offended. Eric knew how Claudette felt about Fintan. Everyone in the supe world knew. If Gran didn't call her home, she didn't go. The happiness that was once in her voice had dissipated. "I would never do that. If Sookie ever returns to Faery, it will be of her own volition. As I said before, vampire, she is with me."

When she called him vampire, Eric knew that he'd crossed the line. Claudette was a faery of honor and dignity. "If I have offended you, know that it was unintentional. My only concern is my wife. I want to know if Sookie is well. She has been ill for a few days and I …"

Cutting him off, Claudette said, "She's fine. She just needs a little time to herself to think things through. If anything happens, I will call you. You have my word."

Eric knew that he could trust Claudette. When he helped the faery plot to kill her would be assassin, who just so happened to have been her husband, trust has to be a part of their relationship.

"I just wanted to be sure that she's okay. Is she around?"

"She is."

Eric waited. When she didn't give Sookie the phone, he asked, "Well, may I speak with her please?"

"No. You will speak to her when she gets home. She needs to relax and not have to worry about you worrying about her. I'll tell her that you asked about her and if she wants to call you, she will."

The click of the phone was the last sound he'd heard. That was exactly a week ago. Claudette never called to say that there was anything wrong with Sookie and Sookie must not have wanted to talk to him because he never got a call from her either. The best part of not receiving a call was that he didn't get a message saying that she was never coming back. He thought that to be a real possibility after the way he'd been treating her but as the week passed, he began to feel better; at ease. The feeling of ease soon turned into pure relaxation. Pure relaxation soon turned into excitement and nervousness. Sookie called to say that she was coming home.

"I'll be home tomorrow."

"I'll be waiting for you."

Before Eric went to bed that morning, he asked Marco if everything had been prepared for Sookie's return. "I want the night to be perfect. Nothing can go wrong."

"Nothing will go wrong," Marco confirmed.

"Have you made the calls?"

"Every day since she left," he replied.

A quick smile played across Eric's mouth. Without saying another word to Marco, he went to bed. Sookie came home a few of hours later.

She popped herself into her room to put away her things. She never thought that she would happy to return home. She and Claudette had a great time at the spa. The scenery and the fresh air worked wonders for them both. Even though neither of them believed it possible, Claudette and Sookie were closer than they've ever been before.

She learned things about Claudette's life that she never knew. They talked about everything from their extremely privileged childhood to the most pivotal moments in their lives. Sookie told Claudette how the male fae that she dated were boring and pretentious. Her cousin agreed. Claudette talked about her many boyfriends and how she missed being in love and being loved. She even told Sookie that she had a new mate; a new lover.

"Who is it?" Sookie asked surprised.

"In time," Claudette said.

"Maybe you'll get the love that you're missing."

"I hope so," she said. "I really hope so."

They giggled and they laughed. They had the most fun. Not until their last day at the spa did they mention Eric and what Sookie should do. The plan was reasonable and it was doable. It was her cousin's idea.

"You two can start over," Claudette said as she and Sookie walked along the beach holding hands. "There's no reason why you two can't start over."

Sookie released Claudette's hand and flopped down on the beach and faced the ocean. She stared out at the bright orange horizon as she thought about her cousin's suggestion. She wondered if they could start over. She didn't know if she could forget the way that he treated her. She wanted to tell him to go to hell but she knew that it wasn't entirely his fault. Eric shouldn't have to carry the full blame for his actions. She still felt that he shouldn't have believed Fintan.

"How do we do that?"

"Slowly, my friend." Claudette was laying on her back and looking up at the sky. "You do it slowly. Love is patient and forgiving." Rolling her head to the side and looking at her cousin, she asked, "You do realize that you two dated for three months before you got married."

Sookie shrugged her shoulders. "So? What is that supposed to mean? Are you saying that he had every right to believe Fintan?"

Claudette folded hear arms behind her head and closed her eyes. "Not exactly but you have to see why it would be easy for Eric to believe what he said."

With her arms crossed over her chest, Sookie pouted. "I believed what he told me."

"You're _so_ naïve, Sookie. He was your first boyfriend; if you can call him that. Supes aren't supposed court when a marriage is prearranged but you two did. You and Eric walked the palace grounds and held hands. You talked about this and that but you never really got to know each other. You didn't have time. What? Within a few months of meeting each other you were married? Come on, Sookie. Take this time to get to know each other."

Sookie raised her knees to her chest and rested her chin on her knees. Everything that Claudette said made perfect sense. The worst part for her is that she never doubted his feelings for her. She believed in Eric and he should've believed in her. The big question was if she wanted their marriage to work. Was her marriage worth saving? Would he take decide one day that it was all a lie or would they make it despite the things that have happened?

Lying down on the sand beside her cousin, Sookie asked, "Do you really think that it'll work? Getting to know each other, I mean. After all that's been said and done, do you think that we can do it?"

Taking one of her arms from underneath her head, Claudette reached for Sookie's hand. When Sookie took the hand that reached for hers, Claudette settled deeper into the sand. "I do but it won't work if you don't give it a chance. Just remember, don't lose who you are."

"I won't," Sookie promised.

"If you've decided to work on things with Eric, you need to really talk to him ...about everything."

Sookie tried playing dumb. "We'll talk."

Claudette gave her _the_ look.

"We will." She rested her free arm underneath her head and looked up at the dusk sky. "You're my best friend."

"I thought that Lafayette was your best friend," she said in a mocking tone.

"He's my best human friend. You're my best friend."

"You know that we can never tell Claudine. Can you imagine her reaction?"

They started laughing as they pictured a very pregnant Claudine ripping them a new one. "She'd try to kill us both; slowly and painfully."

"We could get away. All we'll have to do is drop a few Oreos and Snickers bars behind us as we run from her." They laughed even harder at their cousin and sister's expense. Claudette turned to face Sookie and smiled. "I love you."

"Not as much as I love you."

"I love you more than you love me."

"It's not possible. I love you more than I love truffle brownies"

Claudette laughed. "I love you more than I love lying in the sand."

The girls played the '_I love you'_ game until the sky went black and it was time to go home.

After her things were put away, Sookie went down the hall to Eric's room. She had this urge to see him; to be close to him. When she went into his bedroom, she walked slowly to his bed. She looked down at him as he died the day away. She'd come to the conclusion that it was going to be a task to forgive him but she did want to give their marriage a fair shot. She wasn't going to let Fintan take what he had no right to.

She was glad that he'd sent her back. She never would've learned that truth about him or what he'd done. Sookie wanted to go back to Faery and confront him but she knew that would have been too risky. If he'd found out that she knew about his plan, he would have kept her there; regardless of the contract. If that happened, she would have never known what her life would have been like without Fintan's interference. She would never know if she and Eric would have a fair chance at being together. She wouldn't know if they would have a lifetime of happiness or if it would have been only a fleeting moment. Before she knew truth about what Fintan had done, she would never have known the possibilities that lay before her and Eric. She was willing to throw it all away. She couldn't do that now. She had to know.

Whispering, Sookie said, "I have to see." Leaning down, careful not to touch him, Sookie looked at Eric's closed eyes. "Let me see." She wanted to use her magic on him and she could have but she vowed to never do that to him. Instead, she chose to open the bond; just a little.

His eyes opened and they were blazing. "Welcome home," he said with a smile.

Their lips were almost touching. She didn't say anything. She stared into his eyes until she found what she was looking for. She found it. She stood tall and smiled down at him. He reached up for her but she stepped away. She wanted to feel his touch but it was too soon. Deep down, she knew that wasn't the reason for her stepping away from his touch. She was afraid. She didn't want him to feel manipulated or deceived. If they were going to start over, she couldn't take any chances.

"Yes, Eric. I'm home. I'll see you when you rise." She smiled at him one last time. He died with a smile on his face.

After making a cup of Claudette's special hazelnut and brown sugar coffee, Sookie went into her office to do some work. She checked her voicemails and emails and found that she had a lot of calls and emails to answer. Sam and Alcide needed her to come to the grand opening of their new center. Calvin Norris needed her help in getting the county to help pay for the renovations in their small town. They've turned down every proposal that he'd brought before them. His people were dying and no one wanted to help him.

"They won't give me a good reason why." His voice was full of frustration. "Please call me back and let me know what we can do about this. Winter is coming and we need the help. We can't lose anymore of our cubs."

That the first call that Sookie returned. She and Calvin agreed to meet the next morning with the town council members. She promised him that he would get what he wanted. His people would suffer no more. "I give you my word." Every supe in the world knew that when Sookie Northman gave her word, she kept it.

Her next call was to Sam and Alcide. She spoke with their secretary, Maria Starr. She let her know that let she and Eric would be in attendance. Maria told Sookie that the request was mailed out today and that she could ignore it. "I'll let the guys know that you're coming."

For the next few hours Sookie answered emails and made phone calls. Hours later the emails were answered and the phone calls returned. Her next job were the contracts. She hated doing the contracts but she couldn't put them off any longer. Sookie grabbed the contracts folder and sprawled out on the couch. She approved and denied contract after contract. She had no idea how long she'd been working until Eric came into her office.

She nearly jumped out of her skin and dropped the contract that she was reading when he kneeled down in front of her and captured her chin between his thumb and forefinger. He gently tilted her face up until she was gazing into to his deep sapphire blue eyes. He let go of her chin to stroke her cheek with the back of his hand. She tried not to flinch but she couldn't help it. She couldn't let her feelings interfere with his. He noticed and hastily dropped his hand as he stood.

"I've overstepped my boundaries," he said.

Sookie sat up quickly; dropping the contract to the floor. She reached for him but pulled her hand back. Her touch caused their problems to begin with. If they are going to start over, she didn't want him to have any doubts about what he was feeling.

"It's not that, Eric. It's not that at all. There's something that you need to know. The day that Claudette and I left, I learned a lot about our relationship. We need to talk," she said as she picked the contract up from the floor.

Those four words scared every male in existence; dead or alive, vampire or human. Very rarely was anything accomplished when those four words are spoken. He didn't want to hear it tonight. They didn't need to hear it tonight. He had something planned for her and he didn't want those plans ruined because of the four most dreaded words in history.

"We can talk later," he replied.

Sookie didn't want to talk later. She wanted to talk about Fintan. She wanted to tell him that she knew that it was going to take some time to get over what has happened between them but she was willing to give them a chance. They weren't going to let Fintan decide what was going to happen in their marriage. She also wanted to talk about the other woman; the woman that she never mentioned to Claudette. She wanted to know who Freyda is and what she is to him. They needed to talk about everything that has hindered their relationship. She wanted to tell him that there was no guarantee that things were going to work out but she was more than willing to give it a try. They just needed to talk.

"There's so much that needs to be said." She was speaking to him in her summit voice. It was clear and concise. "We can't avoid what stands between us. There are things that can keep us from being together that we must confront. We can't ignore them if we are to succeed. Don't you agree?"

"I do but time is running out."

Sookie put the contract on coffee table. "No it's not. We have to make time for this if we are going to make our marriage work." She pointed from herself to Eric. "We can't turn a blind eye to what has happened."

Eric started laughing. "That's not what I meant. We have to be somewhere in a couple of hours."

"Oh," Sookie said. "Oh. Where are we going?"

"You'll see. You go upstairs and get ready. Be sure to wear something casual. I'll meet you in the living room and I promise you, Sookie. We will talk about everything. I will tell you everything because I want you."

She remained neutral though her heart melted at his words; just as it did the first time they'd met. Things were going to be different this time. She was going to be cautious and smart. She was going to go slow with him. She got up from the couch and said, "Okay."

Eric unnecessarily sighed. "Okay?"

As they left Sookie's office, she turned off the light and closed the door. She stared up at him with a smile and said, "Okay but you didn't answer my question. Where are we going?"

Eric winked at her and said, "I did answer your question. I said that you'll see." Eric placed is hand on the small of her back as they walked down the hall. "If you want to go, I think it's best that you go and get dressed. Time is running out."

"We don't want time to run out, do we?" she asked as she stepped out of his touch. She was a giddy as she's ever been but she kept her feelings under wraps. She decided that Eric was right. They could talk when they got back. There was no need in them having such a deep discussion before going out. It was night of new beginnings. They could start fresh and save the talk for later. Tomorrow night was just as good as any night.

As they made their way upstairs, Eric said, "Thank you."

Sookie looked up at him and asked, "What are you thanking me for? I've done nothing."

"I'm thanking you for tonight," he replied. "And for coming home. Thank you."

She smiled before she could stop herself. A small chuckle escaped her as she shook her head and continued to walk upstairs. Sookie could feel Eric's eyes on her as she walked away. Without meaning to, she put a little more sway in her step. She couldn't wait to call Claudette and tell her that she's taken her advice. Sookie was so giddy that she was suddenly filled with fear.

She felt like this the last time with Eric. His touch made her insides hot. The very sound of his voice was the sexiest song she'd ever heard. The very thought of him made her forget who she was. She loved that feeling; especially when she knew that he felt the same way. What if the new beginning takes them back to where they were six years ago? She glanced over her shoulder and looked at him.

Eric was standing on the stair and was watching the sway of her hips. He watched as her hair fell beautifully down her back. When she looked at him, he took another step in her direction but stopped. He wanted to run to her. He wanted to take her into his arms and never let her go. He looked just as he looked when they first met. His eyes were burning for her. She could see it. She could almost feel it.

When she turned away and walked to her bedroom, the brushed the fears aside. "A new beginning," she said. "We can fix this."

With a smile on her face, she closed her bedroom door and prepared herself for their night.


	21. Chapter 21

**A Marriage of Inconvenience?**

**I want to thank y'all for the reviews, alerts, and the favorites. I also want y'all to know that I appreciate your patience with the way that the story is progressing. There is also something that I'd like to say. I know that this is an extremely long A/N but I feel that I need to explain a few things. **

**There were a couple of questions that people asked about Sookie saying that she never doubted that Eric loved her. She never doubted it…before they'd gotten married. She was led to believe by Eric that he loved her. He never told her any different after they were married. Gran told her that vampires aren't monogamous. She said that it was just their way. Remember, Sookie is not human in this story. Sex is just an act. It's supposed to be and she did her best to overlook the things she believed he'd done. She kept holding on to what they had in Fae. He professed his love for her before they married and she believed him but then one day, she decided to doubt him. **

**Another thing is that she **_**was**_** going to end her marriage and to hell with the supe world. The catch is that the supe world never knew that she was going to end her marriage. So as far as they know, she always keeps her word. Since she didn't end her marriage, she _still_ keeps her word. When she'd decided that she just couldn't bear to be married to Eric anymore, Gran made her see that she was acting on emotion and she needed think about what she was doing before she ended her marriage to Eric and destroyed the progress that they'd made. Gran told her that it wasn't all about her. She was being selfish because her unhappiness was more than she could stand but in the end, she did abide by the contract and she did realize that she was wrong. I must apologize if I have a lot of inconsistencies in the story. I thought that I had explained everything but I guess I wasn't clear. **

**And as far as the summary goes, I think that it makes perfect sense. It **_**was **_**her belief that he didn't love her…it took her 6 years to see it but that is what she believed when she told him that she was going to leave him. She tried being the Jackie Kennedy of the supe world and turn a blind eye to what was going on but she couldn't because she loves him. She has dignity and pride. She has self respect. She's going to find out who Freyda is. She's not going to let that go. She's not going to ignore the fact that she was excluded from his life for so long. She's not going to ignore the fact that he didn't show her the respect that she deserves as she wife and his equal. We just haven't gotten that far into the story yet.**

**Everything that has happened between them will not be solved quickly. I'm trying to show how their relationship was before Fintan got into Eric's head. With the way they were at the beginning of the story, the hostility would have kept them from talking things over. Sookie wouldn't have listened to a word that Eric would have said to her. She would have shut him down with the quickness. They would have gotten nowhere. The hostility would have gotten in the way and nothing between them would have been resolved. I want them to have a stronger relationship and if they have a stronger relationship they can have better communication. I want them to be able to see things through the other's eyes so that they can get a better understanding of how they made the other feel or why the other felt the way that they did. **

**I hope that this didn't come off as being rude because that is not my intention at all. If there are any other questions or inconsistencies, please let me know. I will try to clear them up as best as I can. **

**Oh and one more thing, springtime in Fae does not mean that it's springtime in the earthly realm. Fae runs on a different time scale. The faeries that are in the earthly realm may not be in their homeland but they know when it's springtime. No matter how long they've been from their home, their bodies know when it's happening. Sookie may have been a virgin when she married Eric but her body knows.**

**The characters belong to Charlaine Harris but the story idea is mine.**

* * *

Once Eric was dressed and ready, he'd expected to have to wait in the living room alone while Sookie prepared for the night's event but he was in for a surprise. When he went downstairs, he found Sookie ready and waiting on him. The fireplace was blazing while she was curled up on the couch reading a book by a tremendously popular author. He'd written tons of books on how to be a better person; a better woman. His newest book was about how it was possible for a woman to live a better and more gratifying life. Eric watched her as she flipped through the pages of the book and shook her head with contempt.

As Eric stood in the doorway, Sookie looked up to see his gaze on her. She gave him an eye-catching smile. Eric had never seen anyone so incredible. She had on a soft blue cashmere sweater and a pair of jeans. Even in jeans, she was graceful. Her hair was pulled back in a sleek and stylish french braid. The golden flecks of her hair sparkled in the firelight. Her blue eyes smiled at him as he admired her.

He has always loved her hair. Eric has always loved the feel of it when he would run his fingers through it when they made love. He'd stroke it. He'd tug at it. When she would sleep, he'd inhale the scents of her day; the summer sunlight or the winter breeze. That simple gesture allowed him to spend the day in the sunlight with her. Since she'd moved out of their bedroom, he missed that simple gesture. He missed spending the days with her.

"You are gorgeous." His voice was husky. Just like his eyes, his voice was filled with sincerity and admiration. "You are absolutely gorgeous."

Sookie thanked him as she graciously returned the compliment. "As do you," she replied. "Would you care to join me?" A simple smile welcomed him into the room.

There was no need for him to voice his answer because his feet replied for him. As Eric walked further into the living room, his eyes remained trained on hers. He sat down on the couch beside her and asked, "What are you reading?"

Sookie flipped the book over and showed him the cover. "_A Better You_; it's your basic '_you're not good enough so you need to change who you are book'_." Sookie began to giggle. "I think I've read everyone of his books. Jane buys them every time a new one comes out." Putting her hand up, she said, "Don't ask me why I read them because I have no idea why. I think it's because it amazes me that a man feels like he knows what makes a woman a woman and if she changes everything that she is, she can be more than she's ever imagined. He has the audacity to tell women what they should wear, who they should be. He even has the gall to tell women how they need to carry themselves. What could he possibly know about being a woman and what a woman needs?" She looked at the jacket picture of the author and shook her head.

Eric seriously pondered Sookie's words. He drummed his fingers on his legs as he looked up at the ceiling. When he'd come to some sort of conclusion, he sat tall and looked Sookie straight in the eyes. He looked as if he was about to give a speech before the supe community. "It sounds to me that deep down he wants to be a woman."

She never expected an answer like that. Sookie laughed as loudly as she ever has. It touched Eric's heart to hear that sound. He hadn't heard her laugh like that since they've been in the earthly realm. In six years; he hadn't heard her laugh like that in six long years.

As he continued with his theory of the author, Eric's voice remained serious though his eyes were playful. "Think about it. He has these ideas of what a woman wants and what a woman needs. He believes that he knows how women should dress and speak. He is a woman that just so happens to be a man. He claims to have the secrets of what a woman has to do to change." Eric rested his elbow on his knee and placed his thumb and forefinger on his chin. "I'll bet my fortune that he goes to every Maybelline convention ever planned. I can almost guarantee that he has every new color of lipstick available." Sitting up and pointing at the book, Eric looked Sookie dead in the eyes and asked, "Can you imagine what his closet looks like? I'll bet that he has several pairs of Jimmy Choo and Prada boots."

Sookie laughed so hard that she was grabbing at her side. She fell back on the couch as she wiped tears from her eyes. When she was able to compose herself, she said, "My Maybelline would be ruined if was wearing any. And answer me this, Eric, what do you know about Jimmy Choo and Prada boots?"

Shaking his head, Eric replied, "Enough to be sick of them. Do you have any idea how many pairs I've bought for Pam?" He regretted the question as soon as he asked it but to his surprise, she did not comment on it.

"She's a shoe whore like me?" Sookie asked. Her eyes lit up at the idea.

It pleased him to see her so at ease. He recalled how at ease she was with him when they got married and how slowly it died away. He was never going to let that happen again. It made him happy to see her so relaxed. It was pleasing to see that she was feeling better though he could tell that something wasn't quite right. He placed his hand on her arm. "Are you okay? We can stay in if you'd desire. We can have tonight another night."

She patted his hand as she removed it from her arm. "It's not possible to have tonight another night," she countered. "This night is as good as any and I'm fine. Don't worry over me. Besides, I'm anxious to see what you have planned for us."

Eric leaned back onto the couch and stared at her. He grinned boyishly at her. His eyes sparkled and were so full of the life and adventure that Claudine said vampires didn't have. His smile was broad and it reached his eyes. He looked so breathtakingly handsome, that for a moment, Sookie didn't realize that he was talking to her.

"I apologize," she said. "I didn't hear you." Her voice was barely above a whisper.

"I said that it's good to see you smile and to hear you laugh. I'd forgotten how beautiful you are when you're happy." Eric nodded as if he was giving his statement confirmation. His expression was softly reminiscent. "Do you remember the first time I made you laugh?"

Sookie turned to face Eric. "I do."

"We were sitting by the pond and Claudette came bopping by with her music blasting. You started bouncing to the beat. When I didn't move, you asked me if knew the song. I told you that I did. As you learned that night, I lied."

Sookie giggled.

Eric continued with the memory. "You asked me if I knew how to do the dance that was a part of the song. I told you yes. Needless to say, you were surprised. You said that you've known for a vampire to dance. I said that we are the ones that invented dancing. You stared at me in disbelief. You even had the gall to tell me that that was the worst lie you'd ever heard. I was completely appalled. I couldn't believe that you questioned my statement and that you called me on it. You told me to do the dance with you. I declined as I looked over my shoulders to be sure that no one was watching." He started to chuckle. "After hours of your endless needling, I folded under and gave in to peer pressure."

"Hours …peer pressure?" Sookie exclaimed. "You are such a liar!"

"That's the way I remember it," Eric stated defiantly. "Anyway, I was trying my damnedest to be dashing and debonair while I tried to cover up my lie but alas, I failed…and I fell into the pond."

For the second time that night, Sookie's laugh was loud and relaxed. "Claudette popped from behind the tree and took pictures with her cell phone. When you emerged from the pond, you begged her to delete them but she said that she would never do that. She said that she would keep them for blackmail material."

Looking just as serious as he did earlier, Eric asked, "Does she still have the incriminating evidence?"

Sookie nodded. "She's even made copies."

"Blast," Eric said as he raised his fist.

Sookie continued to laugh. Eric continued to be mesmerized by the sound of her laughter. The little crinkles around her eyes and small crescent moons that framed her mouth; she was even more beautiful when she laughed. With his elbows on his knees and his chin resting in his hand, he lovingly looked at her. "I meant what I said."

As her laughter died down, she asked, "What do you mean? What did you say?"

"That it's good to see you happy," he replied. "It's good to see you smile. I'm sorry that it took so long for me to realize what I was missing out on." With a nod, he concluded his statement with the words, "It's good."

Sookie abruptly stood up from the couch and said, "Time has to be running out. Shouldn't we be going? I'd hate for us to be late for whatever it is that you have planned."

Eric stood to his full height and looked down as Sookie. "Did I embarrass you?"

With her eyes trained on his, she replied, "I don't get embarrassed. Princesses don't embarrass easily."

His intense gaze told her that he didn't believe a word she'd spoken. Her expression told him that everything she said was the truth. Eric did what men have been doing for all time. He kept his thoughts to himself.

"So," Sookie said. "Am I too casual?" She spun around so that Eric could assess her outfit. She didn't normally look for his approval on her apparel but since he was the only one to know where they were going for the night, she needed to know if what she had on was suitable. She didn't want to stand out.

Eric's eyes lingered over her body and he hungered for her. Her hips were fuller and they looked amazing in the jeans that she was wearing. The soft blue cashmere sweater that she was wearing was hugging her breasts as if it was made specifically for her. He licked his lips as his eyes continued to linger over her body.

When he didn't answer her question, Sookie said, "I can go change." She pointed in the direction of the stairway.

"Don't," he replied hurriedly. "You are stunning." Eric's smile beamed at her. The way he waggled his eyebrows had her in a fit of giggles. Her eyes were iridescent with laughter. He stood for a long moment and simply stared at her. She continued to giggle as she slipped her tiny feet into a pair of soft blue stilettos.

Once she was settled perfectly in her shoes, she looked at Eric and asked, "Ready?"

"Ready," he repeated.

Eric placed his hand on the small of her back and led her from the living room. This time, she didn't step away from his touch.


	22. Chapter 22

**A Marriage of Inconvenience?**

**I want to apologize to y'all for the major delay in the posting of the chapters. RL has been kicking my behind something terrible. To make up for it, I will do my best to post at least 2 chapters this week; consider the fact that since this chapter is being posted today, this will be the beginning of my week. So hopefully, the next chapter will be posted by the 11th or the 12th. Enjoy.**

**Sadly, the characters belong to Ms. Charlaine Harris. The story is mine.**

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No matter how much she pestered him, Eric would not tell Sookie where they were going. He was as tight lipped as she's ever known him to be. Whenever they went anywhere, private supe meetings or summits, she always knew where they were going and who was going to be there. They would discuss it, prepare for their trip and be on their merry way. She giggled to herself. She realized that the summits and meetings were awful comparisons to what was going on tonight. They weren't surprises. Yet and still, she didn't know where they were going. Even though she desperately wanted to know, Eric was determined to keep in her in the dark on where they were going. Sookie hadn't received the surprise that Eric had in store for her but she did get another one. Even though it was completely out his character, Eric was relaxed. He was never relaxed when they had to go to meetings. It suddenly dawned on her that whenever they were together, she's never seen him so laid back. He was always stiff and on edge. Since it was a night of new beginnings; a night of baby steps, she decided that she was going to comment on his calm and unusual demeanor.

"You're not as stiff as you usually are," she observed.

Eric looked at Sookie. "What do you mean '_stiff_'? I'm never stiff. I am a vampire of unlimited dance moves."

She laughed so hard it took her a moment before she could respond to him. "There are two things that you should know about yourself. You do have _limited_ dance moves and you're _always_ stiff. Whenever we have supe business, you're always stiff and on edge. You'd sit tall and with your hands placed firmly on your lap. You would always look straight ahead; never looking anywhere other than straight ahead. I thought that you were eyeballing the back of Clancy's head." Pausing, she added, "I feel that it was because of me."

Eric was taken aback by her words but then realized that he shouldn't have been. "It wasn't that." He then unnecessarily cleared his throat. "I apologize for lying to you. It was always because of you."

Sookie's heart stopped. Her mouth suddenly went dry. She couldn't believe what she'd heard. She was so surprised, that she couldn't tear her eyes from his face. She wanted to yell at him but she remained silent. So much for the baby steps, she thought. No. She wasn't going to do that. It would be of no benefit to them or to their marriage if she flew off the handle before letting him explain what he meant.

"What was it that I did to make you so uncomfortable?" she asked him stiffly.

Keeping his eyes on the road, he answered. "We always made love before we left home."

Her eyes widened. She didn't understand his meaning. "_We_ made love? When?" Sookie chuckled. "We've never made love. We've only ever …"

"Don't say it," Eric said as he glanced at her. "Don't say that ugly word. That word should never be associated with what we do. You don't see it as making love but to me, we made love."

Ever so slightly, Sookie opened the bond. She felt that he meant the words. Since she didn't know what to say, asked him to explain. "I apologize. How did that make you stiff? If anything, I would think that you feel more at ease; more relaxed."

When they stopped at the street light, Eric turned to face Sookie. "You would look so beautiful and smell so sweet. You were so tempting, that I knew that we wouldn't have made it to the meetings. I would have had my way with you in the car on the way there. You wouldn't have been presentable. There would have been no time for showering. I would have made sure that my scent was on every inch of you and you on me. They would have known. It was best for us both that I looked straight ahead with my palms placed firmly on my lap." Just as he'd finished speaking, the light turned green.

Sookie didn't know what to say. She knew what she was feeling but the words weren't there. Her breathing was rapid and her pulse was racing. When Eric turned to look at her, she swallowed deeply. He inhaled and closed his eyes for a brief second. Springtime was suddenly on the forefront.

"You're awfully relaxed," she repeated.

Eric filled the car with easy laughter as he returned his eyes to the road. "I have every reason to be. I'm going to spend a wonderful evening with my beautiful wife."

"Did you change?" she asked. "I mean before we left home. Did you change your clothes?"

Shaking his head, he said no. "I'm wearing what I was wearing when I came into the living room." He's brow furrowed. Sookie's fainting spell suddenly came to mind. "Should I take you home? If you're sick, I can …"

"I'm fine. I just didn't realize that we were dressed alike." He was wearing a pale blue t-shirt and jeans. He looked quite handsome. "You look nice."

He winked at her and smiled. "Hmm," he said as he looked from himself to Sookie. "I didn't either. I guess great minds think alike."

She didn't say anything but she also realized that their hair is the exact same shade of blond. She reached over to brush a stray piece from his brow. Her finger lightly grazed his cheek. She could feel him as he shivered at the slightest feel of her touch.

"You had a stray hair," she whispered. "That's all. I was just (swallow) brushing away the hair."

This time without stopping at a street light, Eric looked deeply into her eyes and said, "I miss your touch." His voice was deep raspy; almost hoarse. When she didn't say anything, he thanked her for tucking the stray hair safely and securely behind his ear. The tension in the air was thick and it was getting harder and harder for her to breathe so Sookie did the next best thing. Even though she knew that he wouldn't tell her, she began asking him where they were going. And just as before, he refused to answer her.

He continued telling her that she needn't worry. "I just want you to enjoy the night." He could see that she expected more but he didn't say another word. She stared at him for a moment; trying to get a read on him but his face told her nothing. She pursed her lips together so tightly that the blood had drained from them. She leaned her head back against the headrest and closed her eyes. She thought of the things that had happened in the last couple of months; her decisions, her visits to her grandparents and to Andromeda, and the baby steps with Eric. She thought of the things that had been done and the words that had been spoken. She thought of the different things that she's learned and wondered about the other mysteries that were possibly being hidden from her. She thought of the future that she and Eric could possibly have and the possibility of them not working out at all. No matter the outcome, there was still so much that lay before them. There was so much that they could do together. See together. Be together. What she wanted more than anything was happiness for them both; especially for him. Whether they were together or apart.

Eric gave her a glance quick enough that she didn't notice. She also didn't notice the smirk that sat prominently on his face because her eyes were closed. It pleased him to be able to surprise her; to do something that he should've done years ago. Eric happily sped along in the Corvette without any concerns to the speed limit; his only thoughts were of Sookie. He wondered what she was thinking and what she was feeling. He wondered if she would ever open the bond again. He wondered if they were going to have a future or if this was their final hurrah. He didn't want it to end and he was going to do everything in his power so that she would remain a part of his life; in his life. And if things didn't fare well for them, he was going to abide by his promise to her. They would remain married but only because of their contractual obligations. He would go his way and sadly, he would have to let her go hers. He thought that no matter what happened between them, he wanted her to be happy. She deserved nothing but happiness. Whether they were together or not.

"We're here," he said in a softer voice.

Sookie rolled her head in his direction and stared at him. Something had changed in the span of five minutes. Something wasn't quite right. She sat up in her seat and asked, "Are you alright?"

A small smile was soon on his face and he answered her with a nod.

She reached over to touch his arm but pulled her hand back. "We don't have to do this. We can go and rent Iron Man if you want."

"No, my lover," he said. "This night is for you."

When he called her _'lover_', her heart melted. She used to cringe at the sound of the word. It was always malicious and cold. He'd never said with such tenderness before. He'd never said it as if he meant it. Before she knew it, he was out of the car and opening her door. Even when she got out of the car, she didn't notice where they were; that is until he stepped from in front of her.

"Fangtasia?" she asked. She was not happy with this. She didn't want to start over in the bar; especially the bar that held bad memories for her. Fangtasia was the last place she wanted to be when they were trying for a new beginning. "You bring me here?"

Before she could start ranting and raving, Eric cut her off. "Sookie, there is a reason why I brought you here. It's our new beginning. I wanted to bring you here because I …" The sound of a rumbling car pulling into the parking lot and parked beside them; cutting off Eric's sentence. He swore under his breath when he saw the car and the person that was behind the wheel.

The man emerged from the car. Sookie could see him clearly underneath the dark and starless sky. He was tall and dark. He was muscular and bald. His eyes glowed against his bronze skin and he was gorgeous. He had a huge and friendly grin on his face as he walked over to greet them. Sookie didn't mean to be so open with her staring but she couldn't help it. His presence was as large as the night. He walked as if he was a man on a mission and nothing was going to stop him. As she stared at him, she knew that there was something more to him. She knew that he is a supe but she wasn't sure of what kind. She'd never met anyone like him before.

Being careful not to touch him, Sookie stepped in close and looked into the Were's eyes. Eric mimicked her movements. "Your eyes are violet," she said to him.

He looked down at her and smiled. "Yes, they are violet."

When she tried to step in closer, Eric placed his hands on her shoulders as to stop her. He pulled Sookie into his body and glared at Quinn. Though she didn't see the glare, she took the hint and stayed close to him. "What are you?"

A bountiful roar left the Were's mouth as he laughed. "I am a were-tiger," he replied with a bow.

Sookie's hand went to her mouth. She thought that she'd never live to see a were-tiger. She believed them to be myths. There weren't very many of them anymore. She turned around and looked up at Eric. If she noticed the angry look on his face, she didn't comment on it. "You know a were-tiger?" she asked.

The smile that was on her face melted away the jealousy that he was feeling when he saw how she reacted to Quinn. "Unfortunately, I do. I've known him for years."

"Sentiments shared," Quinn replied. He continued to stare at Sookie as he talked to Eric. "After six long years, you've decided to bring the princess with you. I have to say, I understand why you've kept her away." Finally speaking to Sookie, he said, "It's an honor to finally meet you. I'm John Quinn." He gave her a killer smile and Sookie couldn't help but return it.

"My wife knows who you are," Eric replied.

Keeping her eyes on Quinn, she replied to Eric's statement. "No, I don't. I have no idea who he is. I've never met him before. Have you never been to any of our summits?"

Quinn shook his head no. "Sadly, I have not. I would usually be away on business." Knowing that he was getting under Eric's skin, Quinn continued to openly flirt with Sookie. "But I tell you what. If I had known that you are as charming and as beautiful are you are, I definitely would have canceled my business dates. Tell me, Mrs. Northman; am I your first were-tiger?"

"Yes, you're the first one I've ever met and I have to say that the honor is mine." Quinn laughed at the mesmerized look on Sookie's face. "My cousins would be so thrilled to meet you. We've always been told that we'd never see a were-tiger because your kind is so rare. Our great-grandfather told us that there was only a handful left. If Niall was still alive, he would love to meet you."

"Well, Niall was right," Quinn replied. "There aren't many of us left."

Sookie could feel the heat radiating from his body. She could see the life that filled his eyes. They were piercing and glowing. She could see that he had verve for life but there was something hidden behind them; something that he wanted to keep hidden. Without thinking, Sookie touched his arm. Loneliness; he's lonely and he's never had love. He's decided that it is his fate to be alone. Her heart filled with pain for him. He thought that it was too late. Sookie knew better. "No, it's not," she said as she squeezed his arm. "It's not too late." She was about to take him into her arms when Eric's voice stopped her.

"Sookie!" Eric exclaimed. She blinked several times before realizing what she'd done. Eric removed her hand from Quinn's arm. "You can't do that," he said.

She didn't realize what she'd done. It was against the rules. She was never supposed to read anyone without their permission or without just cause. She felt horrible for invading his mind. "Forgive my rudeness. I wasn't supposed to do that. I was wrong." She looked up at Eric and repeated her apologies. "I never meant to …"

"I know," Eric said soothingly.

Sookie looked at Quinn and began rambling. "We can speak with the counsel if you want. You can request that I no longer have any contact with you. Though I didn't alter your feelings, I had no right to read you. I wasn't supposed to do that. I forgot myself. Whatever punishment they decide for me, will be just. I had no ..."

Quinn's voice interrupted her. "It's okay." When she looked into his eyes, she could see that they had softened and his posture had changed. "It's okay." He looked at Eric and asked, "May I?"

"No," he replied. Eric didn't care what Sookie had done to Quinn. He wasn't going to let Quinn touch his wife and she wasn't going to be punished. It was an honest mistake.

Quinn pretended to be holding her hand and he made the wild gesture of kissing the air. "As I said before, it is a pleasure to finally be able to meet you."

Sookie was no longer appalled at her actions. Once again, she was at ease. "Thank you and it is truly a pleasure to meet you as well, Mr. Quinn."

"Call me Quinn," he said. He then almost repeated Sookie's faux pas. He reached for her hand.

"She'll call you dead if you touch her," Eric forced Quinn's hand back into his own space.

Sookie choked back a giggle at the sight of Eric's jealousy. His eyes were narrowed down to slits and his mouth was pulled back in order to show his fangs. She was about to take Eric's hand but thought better against after what she'd done to Quinn. Even though she had no intentions on changing either man's mood, she didn't want to take any chances with Eric. So instead, she clasped her hands in front of her.

"Cut it out, Eric. It's a pleasure to meet you, Quinn," she repeated. She wanted to tell him that he could call her Sookie but because she is Eric's wife and holds a position of power, Eric has to give him permission to call her by her first name and from the way it was looking, Quinn would forever call her Mrs. Northman.

Looking slyly at Eric and winking, Quinn said to Sookie, "Would you like to go inside?" He looked around the parking lot and said, "Most everyone's here. You can come in and mingle …meet the supe gang."

"You go," Eric answered instead. "We'll see you inside." He was doing his best to keep his temper under wraps but it was obvious that the longer Quinn stayed close to them, the harder it was going to be for Eric to remain calm.

Quinn looked at Sookie and said, "Well, Mrs. Northman, I will see you inside. Maybe we can talk some more then." Looking at Eric, Quinn said, "Eric."

"Quinn."

With that said, he was gone.

Once he was out of ear shot, Sookie turned to face Eric and said, "He seemed quite nice. Have you two been friends long? If you have, it surprises me. You two don't seem to like each other at all." She couldn't tell whether or not Eric heard her because he was staring at the backdoor of the bar.

"Eric? Did you hear me?"

He looked at Sookie and said, "He was flirting with you."

"So?" she replied.

Eric couldn't believe his ears. "Did you say _so_?"

"I did."

His face looked as if it was made of stone. His eyes were icy and cold. His body had stiffened with anger. Eric was ready to explode. He didn't understand her response to Quinn flirting with her. He couldn't believe that she said _so_. It was much more than _so_. It was offensive and it wasn't the first Quinn had pulled that stunt. The difference is that it never mattered before. Before Sookie, the others were no more than something to do. Sookie is his wife. Quinn had no right to do what he'd done.

"He was flirting with you, Sookie."

"I heard you the first time," she said. She leaned against the Corvette and folded her arms over her chest and stared up at him. "What's the problem?"

Eric was thisclose to Sookie. "You're married …to me."

"Eric, you may not know this," Sookie began.

"What are you guys doing out there?" Pam yelled from the backdoor of the bar. "Are you two coming inside or not?"

He kept staring at Sookie as he spoke. "We're coming." When he heard the door close, he moved in closer to her; their bodies were touching. Leaning in to whisper in her ear, he said, "We're going to go inside and we're going to have a good time. Quinn is not going to flirt with you because you are my lover; my only lover. And I am yours."

Sookie couldn't stop the shimmer or the shiver of her body as his mouth brushed against her ear. The fever of springtime was trying to take over. The chills ran up and down her spine. She could feel his hardness on her stomach. "We're taking baby steps," she whispered.

He nuzzled her hair as he repeated her words. "Baby steps, my lover," he said. He stepped out of her space and took her hand into his. "Come, my lover." He took her hand as he led her to the backdoor of Fangtasia.

The weakness in her knees slowly faded as she followed him. "Baby steps," she repeated to herself as a reminder.

When Eric reached for the doorknob, he turned to Sookie and said, "And once we get home, we can have a little talk."

Sookie frowned up at him and asked, "About what?"

"About what I must not know and my limited dancing skills," he said with a wink.

Their laughter filled the backroom of Fangtasia.


	23. Chapter 23

**A Marriage of Inconvenience?**

**Thank y'all for your reviews and your time. I appreciate each and everyone of you. **

**Before y'all read this, please don't think that I'm being rude. That is not my intention at all. I have to say that I read the last chapter several times and I don't see where Sookie was flirting with Quinn. The reason I say that is b/c some reviews stated that Sookie was openly flirting with him. I didn't see it that way. When she wanted to take him into her arms after she read him it was because she pitied him. She wasn't being coy or anything like that. She wasn't disrespectful to Eric in any way. She didn't bat her eyes at him. She didn't flagrantly act as if Eric wasn't there. The only thing she did was show surprise on her face when she met the were-tiger. ****I thought that it was clearly written that she was happy to see a were-tiger when she said that she's never seen one. She said that she couldn't wait to tell her cousins that she'd finally met one. She didn't forget that she was with her husband. She stepped into his body when he pulled her into him. She didn't fight against him in order to flirt w/Quinn. She was respectful of her husband even when she touched Quinn's arm and she admitted that she was wrong.**

**SaucyAussie, I was going to respond to you privately but I couldn't b/c it was a guest review. Please don't take this as being rude. I have to say that as far as me drinking CH's memory loss juice, I haven't. Quinn isn't well known in this story because ...gasp... it's AU/OOC. Even in the books things can escape the most powerful. I may be on the verge of OD'ing on MLJ but in the books, Niall was very powerful but yet and still his son had to die before he knew where Sookie was. His half human/fae son was able to keep his human family a secret. And b/c Eric and Sookie are uniting the supe world as one doesn't mean that they've met them all. No other supe male in the story has rubbed on Sookie. She's not trying to invoke jealousy. And Eric's balls are well attached. When Eric laughed at the end of the story, it was b/c he and Sookie shared a moment at the end. **

**This is also a response to the guest reviewer that said that I was going to lose readers b/c Eric had to give Quinn permission to call his wife by her first name. ****As far as Eric giving Quinn permission to call Sookie by her first name, we are in a supe world. If they can't just go up and touch her without his permission then they have to be respectful all around when it comes to addressing his wife. I think that it's okay for another male figure to get permission from Eric to call Sookie by her first name. I don't want to take her back to the golden ages and I thought that I was in the 21****st**** century. **When Sookie touched Quinn and told him that he could report her to the council and that her punishment would be just, it was not implied that Eric would punish her. The council would pass judgment; not Eric. There would be no need to go before the council if Eric was going to punish her. When she touches others with the intention of invading their minds w/o just cause, it's not okay. Also my thinking is that she's a married woman and she's a princess. She has to carry herself as such and some of you may not agree, but she has always carried herself as such; even when she believed that Eric was unfaithful.

**I also would like to respond to the comment that Eric is not respected. The supes do treat Eric with respect except for the night of the get together; they aren't in a public setting. They are on a date. They are in a laid back atmosphere and Eric is with his friends. Quinn would never do what he did if they were at a summit. He was only doing that to bother Eric. **

**And as I've always said, please let me know what you have a problem with and I will do my best to explain it or either fix. I don't want to OD on CH memory loss juice and I definitely don't want to lose any readers. LOL. **

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As Sookie laughed and talked with everyone, she felt at ease. When she and Eric first entered the bar, she didn't think that she would be as welcomed as they made her feel. They introduced themselves to her with warm smiles and happy faces. She didn't think that they'd accept her so willingly. To her surprise, they treated her like family. They treated as if she belonged. She expected them to be uncomfortable around her. They told her that they were pleased that she'd finally decided to join them.

"I'm surprised that you didn't come sooner, Mrs. Northman," Clancy said to her. "Eric told us how busy you'd be when we'd get together; especially with you being a princess and all. I can only imagine the things that you had to get in line for the faeries. It had to be hard doing that and you're here instead of there. Somebody needing something all of the time. It's got to be a hectic."

Pam draped her arm over Sookie's shoulder and said, "It doesn't matter now. Sookie now knows that we do this every week and she's more than welcome to join us. She's always been welcome here."

Sookie's smile was frozen on her face. She didn't know that they did this weekly and she didn't have faery business to attend to. She looked to her right to see Eric standing beside her. "Even though it took six years, I'm just glad that you all have welcomed me with open arms."

Eric spoke up and said, "It's my fault that she never came. I take full blame." He pushed Pam to the side and pulled Sookie in closer to him. "You've all seen my wife. You all know how amazing she is. I was following my nature when it came to keeping my wife to myself. I wanted her all to myself." Staring at Quinn, he added, "If you'd seen the way Quinn was fawning over when we first arrived you'd understand why." Everyone laughed at what he'd said …including Quinn; everyone that is but Sookie. She couldn't believe her ears. Eric had made himself seem …insecure when it came to her. He is anything but insecure. She looked into his eyes and she saw the sincerity in them. From that moment on, she and Eric remained side by side throughout the night; that is until his long lost friend made an appearance.

A pale white hand landed on his shoulder. "My friend," the faceless hand said.

When Eric turned around, there stood the vampire that helped him through his toughest times of his undead life. When Eric's maker released him without an ounce of guidance, Salvatore was the one that stood by him and helped with the most important things that a vampire needed to learn; feeding without killing, glamoring, making a child of his own. Salvatore has always been there when Eric needed him. So whatever Sal needed from him, Eric was more than willing to give to him.

"Salvatore," he exclaimed. "You are a sight for sore eyes." The two vampires hugged and patted each other on the back. After their greeting, Eric introduced Sal to his wife. "Sal," he said, "this is my wife, Sookie. Sookie, this is Salvatore Domingo. He is my very dearest friend, my brother."

Salvatore bowed to Sookie as he took her hand and kissed the back of it. When he looked at her, a quick look of concern passed over his eyes. He gave Eric a quick glance before he returned his attentions back to Sookie. "It is a pleasure to finally meet you, Sookie. So you are the little fae that has taken my brother off of the market. You, little one, have done something that I never thought I'd see. And may I add, you are just as beautiful as he said you are."

Sookie's mouth fell open. She couldn't believe what he'd said. She also couldn't believe that Eric had spoken highly of her to anyone; especially someone that he considered a dear friend; a brother. She was so shocked that she had no words.

"Sookie, are you alright?"

Absently, she nodded and said, "It's a pleasure to meet you too, Salvatore, but you surprised me when you said that Eric told you that I was beautiful. I didn't know that he talked about me."

The vampire laughed. "Please, call me Sal and there is something about your husband that you obviously don't know." He put his arm through Sookie's and began to walk away with her.

Sookie wouldn't budge. It wasn't becoming of her to be seen in public on the arm of another vampire whether it was a personal gathering or not. She holds a position of power and she needed to carry herself as such. She looked back at Eric and he gave the okay for her to walk and talk with Sal. If there were two vampires that he trusted explicitly, it was Pam and Sal. He knew that they'd do nothing to hurt Sookie.

Though Eric was fine with it, Sookie wasn't. She offered Eric her other arm and he graciously took it. As they walked along, Sookie looked at Sal and asked, "What is it that I don't know about my husband?"

"He's shy."

Sookie, Eric, and Sal stopped walking. They looked at each other and laughed. For the remainder of the night, their laughter filled the bar. Soon after, Eric and Sookie were working the room together; having a conversation with everyone that stopped them. There were supes from every walk of life in the bar that night; daemons, Weres, shifters, and vampires. Sookie never realized that Eric surrounded himself with such an eclectic group of supes when they weren't doing business. She'd always assumed that he only dealt with vampires but she was wrong. He didn't discriminate. And from what she'd witnessed, they are the best of the best.

Pretty soon, Sookie was talking with Luna and Pam. She searched the room for her and she saw that he and Sal were off on the sidelines and catching up on what they'd missed in the other's life. Pam was bragging to Luna that she and Sookie were going to Paris for fashion week and she couldn't wait. "I've already packed my overnight bag."

Luna and Sookie looked at each other in amazement. Luna asked, "You're going to Paris for a week and you've only packed an overnight bag?"

"Sure as hell did," she answered. "I'm buying a whole new wardrobe." She leaned in close to Sookie and said, "I've stolen Eric's black American Express. We are set. When we come back from Paris, we are going to have the best wardrobe anyone has ever seen." She winked at the two ladies and smiled as she pranced around in a circle in her new pretend Paris digs.

"Eric's gonna kill you," Luna said.

Sookie shook her head at Luna's comment. "He won't kill her. He'll probably make her pay the bill and dress up like a cartoon vampire for all eternity but he won't kill her."

Pam's are slithered over Sookie's shoulder and said, "He won't even make me do that if you tell him that _you_ took the card."

Wide-eyed and surprised, Sookie said, "I will not."

"Come on, good buddy. Take one for the team."

Sookie laughed at Pam's nerve. "I will not. We've known each other all of what...two hours and you want me to steal and lie so that you can buy a new wardrobe in Paris?" She looked over there to where Eric was standing. "I can't do that."

She hugged Sookie to her and tugged at her ponytail. "I don't believe in the word can't. You can do anything that you put your mind to."

"Like taking that credit card?" Luna asked.

"Exactly," Pam exclaimed. "Sookie, you can do this. He won't get mad at you."

Sookie shook Luna's hand and said, "You are so cool and I'm so glad that we met and if I had an extra ticket, I love for you to with us to Paris. I know that we would have a great time." Turning to Pam, she said, "You are everything that I thought you'd be. You're charming, funny, and you have a beautiful smile." Luna laughed because they all know that Pam hasn't smiled all night. "I'm glad that we are going to get to be friends and I'm super excited about us going to Paris but I am not stealing his credit card so that you can have a new wardrobe." She began walking away.

"Come on!" Pam yelled out.

Sookie waved at Pam and Luna as she walked away. She needed a ginger ale because her stomach was starting to feel a little queasy. She didn't understand why. She'd eaten a big breakfast. She'd eaten a big enough lunch to kill a caveman but she was still hungry. It was a hunger that food wouldn't and couldn't fulfill. She hoped that the ginger ale would make her feel better; at least until she got home and was able to eat something.

When she reached the bar, she asked the bartender for a ginger ale. "No ice, please." She thanked the bartender when he gave her the drink. It was so good, she ordered three more.

"Thirsty much?" Quinn asked.

"Very," she said as she polished off her fourth soda. She looked at the four empty glasses and laughed. She wasn't feeling as bad but at least her stomach didn't have the waves anymore.

"I'm glad that you came tonight. I didn't think that I'd ever meet the great and wonderful Mrs. Northman."

Sookie cocked an eyebrow at his words as she turned to face him. "I don't know about great and wonderful but it's a pleasure to be here. I've met some very nice people tonight." She sat tall in her seat and looked at the were-tiger. "May I ask you a question?"

He leaned his back against the bar and crossed his arms over his chest. With a smug look on his face, he said, "You can ask me anything you want."

"Why doesn't Eric seem to like you? He's allowed almost everyone here to call me Sookie but you. Have you done something to him to warrant such treatment?"

Quinn threw his head back and laughed. "Eric and I go way back. We've always been frenemies but we have the utmost respect for each other. As far as me being able to address you by your first name, he'll allow it but in time. You'll see."

She began to wonder if Eric has always acted this way when it comes to his female companions. Curiosity got the better of her. "Has he always been like this when he's with someone? You know; with the fangbangers or with someone that he's seriously dated?"

"Eric has never seriously dated anyone. So, no. He's never acted as he has tonight," he said. "You're different than the other women that used to be in his undead life."

"What do you mean?"

"Tonight, I saw something in him that I'd never seen before; jealousy and love. In the past, before you, he didn't care if I flirted with his dates. It didn't matter if I shook their hands or kissed their cheeks. I could have draped my arm over their shoulder and walked away with them if I wanted to." Quinn tapped the bar to get the bartender's attention before continuing. "A shot of rye, please," he ordered. When he got the drink, he threw it back and when it the warm whiskey hit his throat, he didn't even flinch. When he was done, he continued on with his explanation. "Now, where was I? Oh, yeah. He wanted to kill me tonight and I can damn well guarantee you that if I had touched you, we would still be fighting or the guests here," he said as he pointed around the room, "would be cleaning up my corpse. The vampire loves you." Chuckling he said, "I never thought I'd live to see the day."

Sookie didn't know what to think or what to say. She understood that Fintan had played mind games with them both but if Eric believed him then why would he care who touched her or greeted her with a kiss? Why would he care who called her Sookie? It pained her heart to know that he never came to her or talked it over with her. She looked over to where he and Sal were standing.

"I didn't think that he felt like that towards me," Sookie said more to herself but loud enough for Quinn to hear.

"Oh, believe me, he does."

Sookie decided to ask him the million dollar question. "Has he ever brought any of the others here to meet you guys?"

"Another shot," Quinn said to the bartender. He shook his head no to Sookie's question. "Why would he? He didn't care about those women." He swallowed down his next shot. "Eric's is a fickle man. He'd never bring just anyone around his friends. You're not just anyone, Mrs. Northman. You're his wife." He looked at Sookie and said, "Forgive me for saying this and I mean no disrespect to your husband but for the first time ever, I'm jealous of him."

The comment caught her off guard. "What?"

"To be able to have a loving a wife to go home to every night," he said as he rested his elbows on the bar. "I'm jealous of him. He gets to wake up with a beautiful and loving woman by his side. He has someone to slow dance with in front of the fireplace on those cold nights while Miles Davis serenades you in the background." Quinn gave Sookie a slight smile and tapped the bar once more for another refill on the shot of rye. Before he threw the drink back, he looked at her once more and said, "He's got it made." The third shot disappeared just as quickly as the other two.

Sookie stood up from her seat and said, "I'll be sure to tell him that you said so. And Quinn, you can have that. You just have to want it. You have to go out there and get it. And once you find that love, don't let anyone take it away from you." She left Quinn standing at the bar as she made her way to Eric. She was going to take her own advice. She and Eric, they are going to talk their problems over and they are going to make their marriage work. There is no chance of either of them going through this life without the other. This was their time to make things right. She was going to be smart about this. It was going to work.


	24. Chapter 24

**A Marriage of Inconvenience?**

**Thank you all so much for your time, alerts, favorites, and reviews. I appreciate each and every one of you and I hope that you enjoy this chapter. **

**The characters belong to Charlaine Harris but the story idea belongs to me.**

* * *

Eric was watching Sookie as she talked to Quinn. Her face was as bright as he'd ever seen it. Her smile was authentic and she was just as happy as ever. She listened to what Quinn had to say as if she really cared about what he was saying. She was the same Sookie that he's always known...if he hadn't looked into her eyes.

"There's something going on with your little fae, my brother." Sal turned in the direction that Eric was staring. He whispered in the softest whisper that only Eric could hear. "Your scent isn't as strong as it should be. Tell me, is everything well in paradise?"

Even though he trusted Sal, Eric wasn't going to tell him that Sookie has moved into the guest room and that she's no longer sharing flesh with him. He wasn't going to lie to him either …not exactly. He was going to be as evasive as he possibly could be. "She hasn't been feeling well lately."

That surprised Sal. The fae never get sick. They are the healthiest of all supes. "Hmm," he said. "That's quite peculiar. Have you contacted the great Dr. Ludwig?"

Eric chuckled. "That hateful bitch said that she'll see Sookie when she gets back into town and that was a week ago." Both vampires weren't surprised at Ludwig's attitude. She was as fearless as they come. Nothing or no one feared her.

Sal picked up his glass of blood from the table and said to Eric, "Don't worry. I'll make some calls and see what I can do. We have to find out what's going on with your little fae. We can't have anything happening to her, now can we? It is a pleasure to see you as happy as I've seen you tonight. She has quite a forgiving spirit. She's nothing like her kin."

As Eric took his glass of blood from their table, he raised to his friend to show that he agreed. It has been a good night. He never wanted the night to end. Even though Sookie was talking to the were-tiger longer than she needed to be, it still pleased him to have here there. The night was better than he'd ever expected it to be. "I almost lost her," he said to Sal.

Placing his hand on Eric's shoulder, Sal said, "We'll take care of that. Hell, I can't wait until we put our plan in motion. That's the only reason I came back. How often do we get to exact revenge on our enemies these days? When you called me, I jumped at the chance to put my vampiric skills back to work. I can't wait to thank Fintan for giving me this opportunity." Sal's fangs dropped into place as he remembered the days of being a rogue vampire. He didn't want to go back to those days but it didn't hurt to reminisce.

"You were the second vampire that I thought of."

"Pam the first?" he asked.

Eric asked, "What do you think?"

"I've been meaning to tell you something." The atmosphere between the two vampires changed instantly. "I want to …"

"There's no need. You have always been a good friend to me and I owe you." It was debt that he was willing to pay. It was debt that he was going to see through. Sal had done so much for him. If it had not been for Sal, he would not be here. The only problem is that Sookie wouldn't understand. She wouldn't go for it.

"Listen to me, Eric. What I want to say is that ..."

"We'll discuss it later," he said as he saw Sookie approaching them. He then excused himself from Salvatore's company and was instantly standing in front of her.

Sookie had a peculiar look on her face when she saw the vampires talking. She didn't have to have the hearing of a vampire to know that something wasn't quite right. Sal looked as if he had more to say but it was obvious to her that Eric didn't want to hear anything that Sal had to say."You fellas didn't have an argument did you? You looked awfully serious there for a minute."

Tucking a stray piece of hair behind her ear, he said, "No. Everything is fine with us. I was about to ask you the same question. Did the future tiger skin rug offend you? I've been keeping my eye on Quinn and if he's done anything that you find offensive, I will gladly kill him in your honor." Eric looked over at Quinn who was once again leaning against the bar and staring at them. He raised his glass to Eric and bowed to his friend. A faint smile passed across Eric's lips.

"You wouldn't kill him and you know it just as well as I do. I just wanted to let you know that he's a good man and that he's jealous of you." Sookie stood beside Eric and looked in Quinn's direction. "He's lonely. That's what I saw when I touched him. It's so sad, Eric. He's so lonely. He says that he wishes that he had what he thinks we have."

Eric looked down at Sookie and he never realized how tenderhearted she is. Her mind is always on the suffering of others and how she can make life better for them. He never realized how lucky he is. He offered her his hand. He saw the hesitation in her eyes. She shook her head and said no. "I can't. I don't want to do anything to make you …to cause you to …"

"Take my hand," he said.

She did.

He placed his hand on her waist and pulled her close into his body. "Will you dance with me?"

"You're an awful dancer," she whispered. "It's everything that I can do to keep you from stomping on my toes."

Eric laughed loudly as he asked her once again. "Will you dance with me?"

She barely nodded as he led her out onto the floor.

Everyone in the bar was watching them. It was the first time they'd ever danced in front of a group of supes other than Sookie's family and the supes of the highest status. They had no idea what song was playing but as far as Eric was concerned, it was slow a song. Eric hasn't been like this since they were married; so open, so free. When she stared into his eyes, she could almost see his soul.

"Why did you bring me here tonight?"

"Because I wanted you to meet my friends and my associates," he stated. "I want you to know how I spend my private time. I want to share my life with you."

She continued to stare into his eyes; almost afraid to believe a single word he'd spoken. She'd heard it all before. She'd seen that look of contentment and peace in his eyes. It was spellbinding. "Why now? Why did it take me saying that I was leaving you in order for this to happen? Why couldn't you do this for us six years ago?"

Without missing a beat, Eric said, "Because I was stupid."

Sookie quickly agreed. "I can't argue with that."

He laughed. "You didn't have to be so quick in agreeing with me."

She smiled as she placed her small hands on his massive chest. "You didn't tell me that we were coming here tonight. Why?"

"I thought that you'd refuse to come with me. When I tried taking you to _Bloody Goodness_, you were so melodramatic about it." He quickly added, "I'm not blaming you. You had every right to be doubtful of me. This time, I didn't want to take the chance that you would deny me. I didn't want you to think that I had ulterior motives. In no way was I trying to be sneaky and underhanded. I wanted you to be here. I know now that I was wrong for not bring you with me sooner and I apologize for that. I want to make things right. I do want to make this work. I want us to work and I promise you that it has nothing to do with the contract."

The song had stopped but remained standing in the middle of the floor and stared at one another. His arms tightened around her waist. Sookie bit her bottom lip; willing to trust him, willing to give him the benefit of the doubt. Fear of rejection almost made her run; pop back home onto the couch and read that dumb book but she didn't. She stayed. She was also unable to defy the intensity and sincerity that filled his eyes. He looked like he truly meant what he said to her. His words seemed true.

"Everyone's staring at us," she said.

"Let them stare." His grip tightened.

"You don't mind being seen as the insecure vampire that holds on to the little fae princess in the middle of an empty dance floor?"

"Not in the least," he replied.

"You're so full of shit," she said.

He pulled her into his body as he filled the bar with laughter. When he looked at her again, her eyes had changed that quickly. He peered at her intently and asked, "Maybe I should take you home."

"No, I'm fine." She could barely muster up a smile. "I just need some fresh air."

He stared at her a little longer. He put his hands on her shoulders and pulled her to him. Eric then kissed her on the forehead and inhaled. He closed his eyes in defeat. Salvatore was right. He told Eric that when he kissed Sookie's hand, he could barely smell his scent. She hadn't let him get close enough to her so that he would know that his scent was almost gone. She'd closed the bond and that was another reason why he couldn't tell that it was weakening. That meant that their connection was fading and Eric knew that if Fintan found out, he was surely going to lose his wife. That was not a something that Eric was willing to risk.

"Eric? Did you hear me?"

"Yes, my lover. Let's take you outside and get you some much needed fresh air. It's an unusually warm night for November. It'll do you good."

Sookie had to lean on Eric as they walked through the bar. Pam did a double take when saw Sookie. She was about to ask if she was okay but Eric stopped her with a look. She went back to talking with Indira and Gertrude but her eyes remained on her master's wife. Sookie and Eric continued the long walk to the backdoor of Fangtasia. They were stopped several times and asked if they were leaving. Each time they were asked, they replied that they were just going outside to get some fresh air. "We won't be long," Eric would say as he tightened his grip on Sookie's waist.

When they went outside, Eric sat Sookie on the hood of the car as he stood in between her legs. "Rest your head on here," he ordered as he patted his chest. "Close your eyes and just relax."

She did as he told her to. She rested her head on his chest and wrapped her arms around his waist. She stayed that way for quite some time before speaking. "I'm sorry that I've ruined your night," she finally said.

"Nonsense," he replied. "You've made my night better."

When she was able to, Sookie looked up into Eric's eyes and when she did, her thoughts went back to the very night she told him that she was leaving him. She remembered how he ridiculed her and how he laughed at the fact that she loved him. She also remembered the lie that he told.

"You lied to me the other night. The night that I told you that I was leaving you, you lied." Her voice was small but strong.

"What did I lie about?" he asked as he leaned down and whispered in her ear.

The backdoor to the bar suddenly came open. Some shifters came out and decided that it would be a good night for a shift. When she saw them, Sookie placed her hand on the back of Eric's head and pulled him closer to her. "I didn't know that you didn't love me when we were married. You told me that you'd love me forever. You told me that you'd stay with me forever."

He leaned his forehead against her shoulder as he remembered how he'd hurt her only a few short nights ago and how he'd made her that promise a few short years ago. He meant those words then and those words were just as true tonight. He regretted telling Sookie that she knew that he couldn't love her.

"I believed in you."

His body flinched when she said the word '_believed_'.

"I believed you."

He pulled her closer to his body as he brought his hands up to cup her face. "Sookie, I swear to you. Things are going to change. I can never apologize enough for hurting you the way that I did. Please forgive me."

Sookie caressed his head as he laid it on her shoulder. "I didn't go into this blindly because I truly loved you," she said. "I never thought that I would have a love like ours. My position and my title made it hard for me to believe that anyone would love me for me …until you. And I believed that you loved me. You said that it wasn't in your nature to love but it was in your nature when we were in Fae."

He held her tighter as his hateful words began to hurt even him. She rested her chin on his shoulder as tears fell from her eyes. When she sniffled, he apologized to her again for what he'd said and how he'd hurt her. The worst part for then both was that they knew that once the words were spoken, there was no taking them back. The only things that they could do were to work past it and try to let it go. For the next few seconds, minutes, or hours, they held onto each other.

After wiping the tears from her eyes, Sookie said, "I'm glad that we came tonight. You have the greatest bunch of friends. They are so accepting of me. I thought that they'd think that I'd rebuffed them or that I thought that I believed that I was better than they are."

Tugging lightly at her ponytail, Eric said, "They know that it was me so you have nothing to worry about."

"I can't believe you said those things. You didn't have to do that."

"I did. I owed that to you and besides, I am a possessive vampire. They believed me when I told them that I wanted to keep you all to myself. I already have to share you with the council members and the other higher ups." Shrugging as he held her, he added, "I didn't want to share with them. If you'll keep me, I'll tell it to the world."

Sookie cupped his face with her hands. Mockingly, she said, "What in the world would the other vampires think? There is no way in the world you're supposed to be submissive to a fae princess. You wouldn't tell it to the world. You're Eric Northman. No woman has ever led you by the hand. You're the one that does the leading." Laughing, Sookie said, "But I will tell you this. If that ever happens, I'll be with you for the rest of my life."

Eric traced his thumbs along Sookie's cheeks. "It's not in my nature to care what anyone else thinks. My only concerns are for you. And I'm going to hold you to that."

"Hold me to what?"

"If I do it, you're going to stay with me forever." He looked deep into her eyes and said, "You're so beautiful; on the inside and out. I ache for you."

Since they've been married, she's never seen such honesty in his eyes and it touched her heart and soul. She wanted so desperately to believe him without fearing that he would hurt her again. She wanted to read him but she vowed to never do that.

"You ache for me?" Her voice shivered as she anticipated his answer.

"Only for you," he said. Eric leaned in closer to her; his lips thisclose to hers. He was going to kiss her for the first time in six years. He couldn't wait to taste the sweetness of her mouth. Both lovers licked their lips in eagerness. Just as he was about to kiss her, a voice made them push away from each other. They were acting like a couple of teenagers who've been caught by their parents. Sookie face was flaming red. Eric's face looked as if he'd been sucking on the sourest of lemons. He gave Sookie an unfathomable look. She quickly looked away from him.

Pam giggled. "Cut that shit out and get your asses in here. It's time for karaoke." She clapped her hands and said to Sookie, "I have the perfect song for us to song. I hope that you like Blake Shelton."

Clearing her throat before she answered Pam, Sookie said, "Boys 'Round Here… chew tobacco, chew tobacco, chew tobacco, spit; I love that song."

Pam did a little jump. "We're gonna win!" She pointed and Eric and said, "You. You are no longer my partner. Whenever you're my partner, we lose. It's time for a change and tonight that change is you …master," she added as an afterthought. "Come on Sookie. Let's get this show on the road." She held the door open and waited for them to enter. Eric helped Sookie down from the hood of the car and held her hand as they walked back to the bar.

They both were thinking about what almost happened. They both realized that they couldn't think about that achingly sweet almost kiss. They certainly couldn't wonder about that achingly sweet almost kiss that they'd almost shared. There was so much that they had to talk about.

The kiss would just have to wait.


	25. Chapter 25

**A Marriage of Inconvenience?**

**Thank you all so much for the alerts, favorites, and reviews. Y'all are so great and your support is absolutely wonderful. **

**The characters do not belong to me. They are the sole property of CH but the story is mine.**

* * *

Even after all that had happened between them tonight, Eric and Sookie maintained an awkward silence on the way home. It wasn't the intention of either of them to fill the car with awkwardness. They had no intentions of being uncomfortable. It just seemed to be unavoidable. Too much had happened too fast for them to not have sat down and really talked things over. They were confusing fantasy with a reality that neither of them wanted to face. Sookie hadn't told Eric that she knows how Fintan had manipulated him and how she felt about it. She hasn't said anything about what she believes is causing her to be ill but as usual, she says it's nothing and she doesn't know what it is. If she can't say it to herself, there's no way possible she can say it to him. She hadn't mentioned any of what Amanda had told her about Freyda. It has been three weeks since her announcement of leaving him and nothing has been settled by either of them. Eric hadn't told Sookie anything about anything. He was letting his actions speak for him. He believed that when she was ready to talk things over then she would sit down with him and they would have a rational and logical discussion. He didn't want to take charge. He's always taken charge where they are concerned and it hasn't worked out for the better. Eric had decided that it would happen when it would happen. But first they needed to figure out a way to talk to each other in the car. There was no need to figure it out for too long. Sookie had obviously devised her own plan.

"I've never won a trophy before. The $100.00 gift card to Red Lobster was also a surprise. I wonder what Pam's going to do with her gift card," Sookie said as she admired her prizes. She and Pam won the karaoke contest for singing '_Boys 'Round Here'_. "I surely can't believe that I won anything for singing. I think that we sounded absolutely horrible."

Eric couldn't believe it either but he knew not to say so. He'd learned from experience that he shouldn't agree with everything that a woman says. Pam was an excellent teacher. He knows that Sookie and Pam are very smart and talented women and he knows that they are severely challenged when it comes to singing. So he said what any burgeoning husband should say. "After many, many, many years, it was Pam's first trophy as well. The performance that you two gave was quite …entertaining. I think that the way you ladies danced around the stage helped to push the vote for you."

Sookie looked playfully at Eric and asked, "Are you trying to say that we sounded terrible?"

He noticed the playful look and decided to go along with it. "I wasn't exactly saying that but since you mentioned it."

"You can't have too great a voice yourself. Haven't you and Pam always been partners?"

"I have a defense. I was always the backup singer. Pam did the lead vocals. So, if we didn't win the trophy, the sole blame falls on her."

Sookie playfully pushed against Eric's shoulder. "I really like Pam. She's very funny." Sookie thought of the jokes that Pam told and how neutral her face would be after each punch line. "And I've never seen anyone dance the way that she does. She moves as if she has not a single bone in her body. It's shocking how her body moves with the music. When she was dancing, I think that was the only time I saw her look so free and happy." After she said the word happy, she decided that wasn't the right word. "Maybe happy isn't what I was looking for. She looks …looks …"

"Like Pam," Eric finished. It was as simple as that. Even as her maker, at times even he would wonder what was hiding behind those eyes. "She's always loved to dance. And she's quite fond of you. I consider that to be surprising in its self because she likes no one. Though I am her maker, it took her awhile to warm up to me."

"I have to say that I feel privileged." Sookie stared at the dashboard when she said, "I told Claudette that Pam was going with me to Paris and she was happy about that. I'm hoping that she can go so that they can meet each other. I know that they'll get along perfectly."

Eric looked at Sookie from the corner of his eye and said, "I'm sure they will."

Once again the car fell silent. As he drove along, Eric thought of how his friends took to Sookie. Though they'd never met with her one on one, it was if they'd known her for centuries. Eric knew that she'd been nervous about meeting them but they never knew it. Her face was as calm as ever. She was comfortable around them and she had been as genuinely welcoming to them as they had been to her. She could've ripped into him in front of everyone for not bringing her to the gatherings sooner than he had but he knew that she would never do that. She was as elegant and as sophisticated as she's ever been. Eric made it a point to pay extra attention to her and it wasn't because of Quinn. It wasn't because of jealousy. It was because he wanted to. He wanted them to know that he was with her. It pleased him to see her so comfortable. He loved the sight of her smiling face and the sounds of her laughter.

On occasion he would leave his conversation with Salvatore to check on Sookie; to be sure that she was okay or that there was nothing that she needed. Eric would go over and touch her back or tug lightly at her ponytail. He didn't know why. He just had the urge to touch her; to be near her. The good thing is that he wasn't conscious of the fact that he was doing it every five minutes until Pam told him that he was acting like a mother hen.

"Eric, I can hang a bell around her neck if you want me to. That way, if she moves you'll be well aware of it," Pam ribbed. "We're not going to eat her. She's going to be alright. Everyone here knows that she's your wife. We don't want to take her away from you. She's going to be just fine right here."

Sookie giggled. "She's right, Eric. I'm fine."

He placed his hand on her shoulder and asked her one more time, "Are you sure? I can stay with you. Are you thirsty? If you need anything to drink, I'll get it for you." He moved in closer to her and pulled her to him. "It's not a problem."

"Go!" the ladies yelled at him in unison. That included Sookie, Pam, Luna, and a werewolf named Amanda. They rolled their eyes at him and smiled.

"Don't worry about me. I'm right here. I'm right in front of you," Sookie assured him. "I promise. If I need you, I'll call you."

"And if you're busy, I'll take care of my new friend." Pam looked Sookie in her eyes and said, "She's family. We'll take good care of her." Luna and Amanda seconded Pam's reassurance.

Eric smiled as he thought about the night. It was a good night. It was the best night he's ever had with or without her. He was hoping that she was thinking the same thing. And she was.

She enjoyed Eric's constant attention and his sly signs of affection. In the beginning, before they'd gone outside to talk, Eric would saunter over to where she was and gently place his hand on the small of her back or stand behind her and gently massage her shoulders. If he was on the other side of the room, he would position himself in an angle so that he would be facing her at all times. Even after she told him that she didn't need a drink, he would bring her one anyway.

"Just in case," he would say. He would lean down and kiss her cheek or give her a quick peck on her forehead. It was awkward at first but he did it so much that she began to relax even more after each gesture.

When Luna went off in the ladies room and Amanda went to get another drink, Pam said to Sookie, "He's very prideful. He's always been that way. I know for a fact there is one instance that he was willing to believe a lie in order to remain true to himself." Sookie knew what instance Pam was talking about. "Vampires have never needed to be in the company of …we've never needed companionship from anyone. We're used to being together; Eric and me. We've never needed anyone but each other."

"I know," Sookie said with an exasperated sigh. "I've tried understanding the way of the vampire since I've married him. I have to say that at most times, it's very difficult to accept. It had gotten to the point to where I couldn't take it anymore but you are right. He's a vampire," Sookie said as she sighed again.

Pam shrugged her shoulders. "That could be the reason but I have a feeling that he was like that when he was human. I say that because he's not used to needing anyone, Sookie. The only reason I've come back into his life is because he's my best friend. He can be a jerk and an asshole. And he may say that he doesn't need anyone else but it's okay... it's okay for me because I love him. I need him just as much as he needs me; though he's never said it. It's always been us and our kind. We've always been used to fending for ourselves." She whispered in Sookie's ear and said, "You scared him."

Sookie was taken aback by her words. "I've only ever wanted to love him."

"He's only ever wanted to love no one. That's the way it was supposed to be. He's the great Eric Northman. He needs no one …that is until you came along. When he met you, you were no more than an arrangement; a contract. He was willing to remain married to you for however many centuries he had to be. The deal was too good for him to pass up. Stay married and reap the many benefits that lay before him. Once it's over, he could then walk away without ever looking back. But you ...when he saw you, got to know you; you ruined his plans. He realized that you are more than an arrangement. You are more than a contract." Pam giggled. "Who would have thought that a little fae princess can take down a 1,000 year old vampire."

"Pam," Tanya called out. She motioned for Pam to come to her. "You've got to see this." She lightly touched Sookie's shoulder as she walked away.

"Where's she going?" Amanda asked when she returned with her drink.

Sookie looked over at her new Were friend and said, "No idea. Wanna sit down?"

"Sure," Amanda said. Once they were seated, she asked, "What's up? Are you having a good time? I hope that we're not boring you to death. This can't be fun compared to the parties you've been to."

"This is the most fun I've had in a very long time and that's compared to the parties that I've been to. Eric has some very interesting friends. You guys are so accepting and so friendly. That's why I have to ask you something because what Quinn told me makes no sense at all." She rested her elbows on the table and leaned forward. She decided that since Amanda was a talker, she would ask her a few innocent questions. "He told me that Eric's never had any of his girlfriends here with him when y'all gather together on Friday nights. I find that hard to believe."

"You shouldn't. You're the only one that he's ever brought around us. You're the only one he's ever made much of an effort with when it comes to being around us. Oh, wait. A woman did come here on one of our Friday nights; a tall red haired vampire. What in the hell was her name?" She tapped the table with her finger and said, "Freyda. That's her name; Freyda. Well she doesn't really count."

"Why not?" Sookie asked.

"Because she didn't come with him," she said. "She just showed up. He didn't seem to be too happy to see her but he didn't make her leave either. She's nothing like you. She's a bitch and she is _so_ not friendly. Have you met her?"

Sookie shook her head no.

"Good," Amanda replied. "She's not worth knowing. She has the personality of a rock." She looked at Sookie with a quizzical look on her face. "Did you say that you haven't met her?"

"Yeah."

"That's strange. She asked about you as soon as she got here. Eric didn't tell you? She kept saying that she wanted to meet the elusive faery princess. She walked around the room and asked if you'd come or if you'd be here. Eric stared each of us down and we knew not to say one word about you to her." She looked down at the table and then back at Sookie. "Are you sure that he didn't tell you?"

"No. He said nothing to me about her," Sookie said. She looked over at Eric and from the way he looked at her he knew that something was wrong. She grinned at him and gave him the thumbs up before quickly looked away. "How often has she been here?"

"Only once. I don't think she liked us or either he told her that she'd better not come back. I think that she didn't come back because we weren't fancy enough for her. She's the hoity toity type. You'll never guess what she had on when she came. A black sequined dress and heels up to there." Amanda's laugh sounded like a howl. "We were wearing jeans and she's dressed for the Oscar Awards. Dumb bitch."

Sookie swallowed deeply and closed her eyes before asking the next question. "Are you sure that he didn't want her here?"

Amanda cackled. "I could be wrong. His exact words were '_Why the fuck are you here?_' when he grabbed her by her arm and pulled to the other side of the room. He didn't whisper either. She wasn't too happy with him talking to her like that but she didn't say anything loud enough for us to hear. She kept that false grin on her face. She mumbled something under her breath. He dropped fang on her before he released her arm."

"If he didn't want her here, why didn't he make her leave?"

"Don't know," Amanda said. "I think that it's because of Sal. Freyda and …"

"Amanda," Pam said. The sternness in her voice frightened both women. They didn't hear her come up behind them but when they looked up at her, she wasn't happy. Sookie could only guess that it was because she'd overheard the ending of their conversation. "I need you."

Amanda touched Sookie's hand when she got up from the table. When Amanda got up from the table, Sookie noticed how Pam held onto Amanda's arm as they walked away. Pam was saying something to her and Amanda was just as vocal. Both women looked back at Sookie and smiled as if to say that everything was alright. When they faced each other, they continued arguing. Sookie didn't know what to think then and she didn't know what think now.

They were no longer in the bar with friends. They were sitting in the confined space of Eric's corvette and the feeling of relaxation was gone. The silence was louder than ever and it was more than she could stand. Sookie leaned forward to turn on the radio. She assumed that the sweet sounds of some overblown die hard would more than kill the silence…or so she thought. Eric caught her hand to prevent her from turning it on.

"Don't turn it on," he said. Sookie turned to look at him but his eyes remained on the road.

"I thought that maybe …"

"Did you enjoy yourself tonight?" he asked softly.

He must have forgotten that he'd already asked her that but she didn't mind. "I did. They are absolutely wonderful people."

"That pleases me," he said. "It pleases me that you had a good time. I like to see you smile." He nodded to show that he approved of his statement. Eric was still holding onto her hand; keeping it pressed firmly to his thigh as he soothingly ran his thumb over the back of it.

"They really like you," he finally said. Sookie could hear the warmth and sincerity in his voice. She could feel it as he stroked the back of her hand with his thumb. "I was very proud to be able to stand by your side… to have you with me. I do apologize for excluding you from my life; keeping you at a distance." He unnecessarily cleared his throat before continuing. "I've never been ashamed of you or embarrassed by your strengths…your power. My past actions have you led you to believe otherwise and for that, I take full responsibility. I apologize. You didn't deserve that." He turned slightly to look at her and he said, "You make me want to be a better husband."

"Thank you for saying that," she whispered as she looked at their hands. His hand tightened on hers one last time before he placed it back onto the steering wheel. She kept her hand on his thigh. There were no sexual innuendos to her action. She just needed …no. She wanted the contact.

Sookie leaned her head against the headrest and looked out the window; a smile planted beautifully on her face. She knew that they would make it. They would be able to talk to each other rationally and calmly. She settled deeper into her seat and closed her eyes.

There was silence was again but this time it wasn't awkward or uncomfortable. It was nice.


	26. Chapter 26

**A Marriage of Inconvenience?**

**Thank you all so much for your alerts, favorites, and reviews. I have completed 3 chapters and will be posting them at least 3 days apart to account for my family and work time. I hope that you all enjoy. The story is mine but the characters belong to CH. **

**And I have to say this. Some of the guest reviews are mean and snarky. I can take the criticism but the hateful comments are just unnecessary. Rudeness is uncalled for. I've deleted some of the rudest ones but some of you don't have to be so mean with what you have to say. It's a story and it may make some of you mad. I can take the criticism. Hell, I welcome it but the rudeness; you can keep it to yourself.**

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When they made it home, it was 1:00 in the morning and Sookie was dead tired. She knew that they needed to talk about Freyda and what Fintan has done to them but she just didn't have the energy. When they got out of the car, Eric did his nightly ritual. He went to talk with the security guards. She was thinking about waiting for him but she dragged her limp and tired body into the house. She could've popped herself to her bedroom but she just didn't have the energy. She hadn't had much rest in the last couple of days. The last night of her vacation with Claudette, she barely slept three hours. Claudette said that there were too many sites to see and she couldn't see them with her eyes closed and in the hotel room. When she came home, Sookie took a cat nap this afternoon after she'd caught up on some work and tonight she sang and danced with the best supes she's ever met in her life. She wanted to do nothing but shower and get into her bed. So, that's exactly what she did.

Her ponytail was now gone and her exhausted body was being sprayed with the soothing hot water from the multiple shower heads that surrounded her. It felt so good. She leaned her forehead against the cold tiles of the shower wall. The feelings of just being made the shower feel even better. She could almost feel herself getting drowsy but she was startled out of her relaxation mode when a blast of cold air hit her backside. She turned around to see Eric standing behind her …naked. Sookie grabbed her body sponge from the shower hook and tried to hide behind it. She didn't want Eric to see her naked. She'd put on a little weight and she wasn't ready for this. She sighed as she watched Eric close the shower door. He looked at Sookie and shook his head wearily.

"Why are you still in the guest bedroom? You know that I can't die restfully when you're not with me. I need you by my side," he groaned.

"Because I'm not sleeping with you," she said in most professional voice. "Nothing has been resolved with us. We haven't had our talk." Her insistence and determination were loud and clear. She tried not to see the want that he had for her in his eyes. She didn't want to see that he missed the connection that they shared. She missed him. She missed _it_. If she would admit it to herself, she needed the connection just as badly as he did. He noticed and smiled as eased towards her.

"I know," he admitted despairingly. He reached out and took the body sponge away from her. He then reached to his right and took the bodywash from the shelf. Eric's cool, muscular arm brushed against her warm, naked flesh with each movement that he made. Sookie did all that she could to shield her body from his touch and her reaction. She folded her arms over her breasts.

"I told you that I don't love you anymore," she protested softly. She watched as he poured the scented strawberries and champagne bodywash over her sponge. "You know that, right? You know that I don't love you."

"I know." His was voice deep and gravely. It didn't sound like his but his expression was as neutral as ever. He gently began to wash her folded arms.

"Just because I had fun with your friends tonight doesn't mean that I'm going to stay with you, Eric Northman. We have a lot of talking to do and we've done nothing." She tried to hide the quiver in her voice. She tried stopping the shimmering of her body but when a fae is sexually aroused there's no hiding it. The scent… the glow … they take over the fae's rationale and reason. She did her damnedest to tell him to get out of the shower but her mouth wouldn't form the words. She gasped when he took her wrist in his hand and lifted her slender arm away from her covered breasts. Eric gently moved the sponge to the underside of her arm. Sookie swayed; this time knowing that it wasn't from the sickness but from his gentleness. The moan that escaped her soon turned into a fake cough. He moved the sponge over her stomach. She quickly knocked his hand out of the way.

"Don't," she said.

"Stubborn little fae," he said as he moved the sponge back up to her other arm.

"You don't fool me, Eric."

"I'm not trying to, my lover. I just want to bathe you. That's all. Tell me to go and I will go." With sponge in hand, he waited and she said nothing. His eyes were planted on her aroused and ready nipples. Eric stepped in closer; crowding her with his cool and muscular body. He forced her so close the shower wall that she could feel the coolness against her back. He brushed the sponge lightly against her nipples when he raised his hand. It was so gentle, she wasn't sure if she felt it or not. Eric stepped in a little closer; this time his cool body rested against her nipples and the coolness of the shower wall was against her back. He worked the sponge down between her breasts and over her torso; in circular motions and over her stomach and between her legs.

Sookie sucked in a harsh breath when Eric dropped the sponge and replaced it with his fingers.

"I don't love you anymore," she gasped as his fingers continued to fondle her relentlessly. She wrapped her hand against his wrist; not wanting him to stop but at least making a show of what she knew she felt that she should do. That didn't stop him; not that she wanted him to stop. He stared down in her face.

"I heard you the first time." Eric was beginning to lose control of his voice as her arousal began to take him over. It always took him over. He remembered a time when it angered him that he couldn't tell if she was making him feel these feelings or it was actually what he wanted. Because she'd closed the bond to him, he knew better now. She hadn't made him want her. He's always known that she is what he wants. She is what he needs.

"You're only doing this because we haven't shared blood in over a month. We haven't shared flesh and you thought that taking me to see your friends was going to make me give myself to you. Well, I've got news for you, buddy. It's not going to work." As he thrust his fingers inside of her, she rested her head against the shower wall. When she was able to compose herself, she asked, "You think I'm easy don't you?"

"Do you really want to know what I think, lover?"

She shook her head no.

He looked at her and smiled. His fangs hadn't descended but his hardness was at full mast. Eric's hungry gaze dropped from her eyes to her beautiful breasts. Her nipples were now staring at him through the suds of the bodywash. Without warning Sookie at all, he removed his hands from her pleasure and dropped to his knees. He took turns loving each nipple. His touch caused an electricity to leave her body that went through them both. He grabbed her waist as she arched her back. Her head hit the tiles with a resounding thud.

Sookie looked down at her handsome husband as he knelt down before her as he licked and kissed his way across the shallow valley between her breasts. Eric used his hands to hold her still against the wall. She shuddered wildly. She buried her hands n his wet hair before she opted to digging her fingernails into his broad shoulders.

When he stood to his full height, Eric pinned her against the wall with his body. His hardness was throbbing urgently as it rested between them. His hands were pressed against the wall on either side of her as if he was afraid that she was going to escape. They stared into each other eyes. Since they'd married, Eric hadn't looked at her in such a way. For the first time in a very long, she felt completely vulnerable. His face remained neutral; full of control but his blue eyes were blazing and they were filled with something she'd never seen. She saw something in his eyes that was unfamiliar and hard to read. She hoped that it was love but she feared that it was nothing more than lust.

"You don't love me," she barely said above a whisper but she knew that he heard her. "You don't love me."

Eric's eyes darted impatiently from her pleading eyes to the full mouth that had spoken those detestable words. He muffled and moaned something that she couldn't figure out as he groaned and lowered his head until his mouth had touched hers. Sookie's body stiffened as his mouth tenderly nuzzled against hers; demanding nothing but wanting everything. He began to explore the unforgettable contours of her mouth; reminiscing about the first kiss they'd ever shared in Adele's Garden. His hands were no longer pressed against the wall. They were now cradling her face. Slowly, his mouth began to want more. He began to move with determination against her until she sighed and melted against him as her own mouth began to explore his. Eric's tongue traced over her lips as if he was begging for entry into her mouth. She yielded to him and enjoyed the sweet sensation she so yearned for.

Her small hands searched for his face and pulled him even closer than before. Eric was more than happy to oblige. Their kiss was suddenly deeper. Sookie felt that he was tasting all of her with that one kiss and she freely let him. It was the most fervent experience of her life and from the way his hardness was throbbing against her torso, Eric felt the same way.

He unwillingly lifted his mouth from hers so that he could look down at her face. He looked so deeply into her eyes that Sookie knew that his passionate stare could see right through to her soul. She suddenly gasped. He saw it and even though she was scared, she saw the same thing in his eyes. If she didn't know any better, she would have thought that Eric had blushed. There was a boyish grin on his face; one that she'd never seen before. Not even when they were in Fae did she see that beautiful smile. He'd never been handsomer. That one smile made him the handsomest man she'd ever seen in her life. She didn't get a chance to respond to it because once again, his mouth was loving hers. She moaned anxiously as she wrapped her arms around his neck. His hands were moving over her body. Eric was soon gripping her round bottom and hoisting her up until her thighs had wrapped around his waist.

His lifted his mouth from hers and began kissing the beads of water that trailed down her slender neck. He was soon kissing her mouth once more. Sookie was more than overwhelmed by Eric's astonishing passion. He was never this out of control when it came to her. At that very moment, everything that she ever was was lost in that one kiss; that one moment. Eric tightened his grip on her bottom as he stumbled out of the shower. He was so excited that they barely made it to the bedroom.

Once they were in the room, he placed Sookie on the bed. Her feet were resting on the plush carpet and her bottom half was hanging off of the bed. She didn't care at all. She didn't mind the discomfort; especially when Eric's mouth claimed hers and he plunged deep into her. She just managed to tear her mouth away to cry out. The sound was harsh and raw as it filled the room.

Her back arched until the top of her head was resting on the bed. She raised her legs to wrap them around his waist. Sookie's ankles crossed over Eric's firm and muscular butt. Her arms were wrapped around his back as she dug her nails into his flesh and drew blood. Eric was making sobbing and anxious sounds into her mouth but he still refused to let go of her lips. He began coordinating the thrusts of his tongue with those of his driving hips and Sookie's moans. For the second time tonight, the lover's were dancing to the sounds of their own song.

Eric's hands moved up towards Sookie's wet hair. He tilted her head back. She braced herself for the imminent bite. Instead, he kissed her neck and he kissed his way back up to her waiting mouth. She held on tight to him. When he didn't bite into her neck, she did something that she'd never done with him before. She gave him all of her. Their bodies were no longer separate. They shared her heartbeat and soul. Her life now belonged to him and his to her. They shared their pasts and their future. Their bodies burned at every point of contact. They were no longer Sookie and Eric. They were one. He suddenly broke the kiss. Eric could feel it. He could see it. He knew that he could never go back. Right then, at that very second, he realized that he didn't want to. This was where he belonged. This was where he would stay.

One of Eric's hands swept back down to one of Sookie's thighs; lifting her hips even higher in order to allow him to go even deeper.

Sookie wanted to scream, _'More; please. Give me more!'_ but she couldn't. She was lost in him. She moved her hands to his behind to pull him in closer. She wanted him closer. She needed him closer. She wanted him harder and deeper. Eric knew it. He did everything in his power in order to accommodate her. Sookie then sobbed in the crook of his neck. She felt as if she was dying an exquisite death and she welcomed it.

"I do," he repeated over and over again as she continued to sob. "I do love you. I've always loved you. I love you. I love you …I love you."

With those words, Sookie did something that she'd never done before without his coaxing. She'd spiraled out of control. She felt herself clenching around Eric's hardness and she bit into his neck. Her shimmer filled the room and her blue eyes darkened and her body shuddered as she fed from him. That caused him to go deeper inside of her and his unnecessary breath was labored and the normally cool and calm Eric Northman lost complete and total control. He was as lost as she was. As she fed from him, a hoarse cry left his mouth; an indistinct name that sounded disbelievingly like Sookie, left his mouth. Eric's body arched viciously as he lifted Sookie from the bed and onto his lap. He held her as close as he could. He wrapped his strong arms around her back as his body jerked within her. His lips found hers once more and he claimed them; tasting his blood on her lips, her tongue.

They continued the kiss. It was gentler this time as he continued to thrust lazily into her. He hugged her even closer as he stood. Her chest was pressed to his. Her head rested sweetly on his shoulder. Her arms were once again wrapped tightly around his neck as she fought to stay balanced as Eric continued to gently nuzzle her mouth with his. He finally went limp and collapsed backwards onto the soft bed with Sookie still settled safely and securely in his arms. One of his thighs rested lazily against hers. He was still kissing her; lifting his mouth from hers in order to nuzzle her neck only to move to her shoulders and before kissing his way back to her mouth over and over again. It was if he couldn't get enough of the sweet taste of Sookie. Eric's hand roamed over her body as their breathing slowed to its original pace.

"My lover," he finally whispered. "My one and only lover."

The words caused her body to stiffen. They brought her back to the here and now. What had she done? She was no longer relaxed. Eric didn't seem to notice that Sookie was on edge. He continued to kiss her; whispering Swedish endearments in her ear. Though she tried to remove his hand, he traced little hearts along her stomach. She was no longer in the mood for being lovey dovey. What they'd done wasn't right. It was too soon. She tried sitting up but Eric took that to mean that was uncomfortable so he shifted his body to accommodate hers. Her head was resting on his chest. His lips kissed her head as he told her how he felt about her… how he was never going to let her go ...life was going to be so much better for them.

Any other time, she would've loved the amount of attention that Eric was lavishing upon her after they'd made love. It was everything she'd ever wanted from him. It was what she wished he done in the beginning of their marriage. She wanted to bask in the afterglow and the love but she knew that she couldn't because it was a mistake. It was the biggest mistake she'd ever made in her life. It was all so new, so unfamiliar. It was scary. Sookie looked up at Eric and in his eyes; she saw the same emotions she'd seen when they were in the shower right before he kissed her. Sookie closed her eyes and she could feel her heart drop to her feet.

"What have I done?" she thought. "What in the world have I done?"


	27. Chapter 27

**A Marriage of Inconvenience?**

**I know that my A/Ns are little redundant but here we go. I had one guest reviewer say that Eric raped Sookie. He did NOT rape her. The shower scene was NOT a rape scene. I'd also like to say that the fact that Sookie had sex had nothing to do w/the spring fever in Fae. That was just an easier way for her to accept what she was doing. She wanted to be with him. She loves him. When Sookie said that she didn't love him, she didn't mean it. Those things that she said in the shower were for her benefit. She got lost in the moment and it frightened her …nothing more, nothing less.**

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She wanted to run. She wanted to wrap the sheet around her body and run as far away from this situation as she could. Sookie couldn't help but think that she's opened her already vulnerable heart to more pain and heartache. She was ashamed of herself for giving herself to him so freely; without hesitation. She was already broken; sleeping with him was only going to make things worse. The more she thought about it, the more frightened she became.

Eric seemed oblivious to what she was going through. The more he talked, the more she tensed against his body. She saw in his eyes that he knew that something was wrong but he said nothing. He continued to hold her; pull her closer into his body. It was as if he was determined to make her stay with him. He wasn't going to let her run from this; from them. That was not an option for either of them.

Eric continued to whisper in her ear; kiss her here and there. When he tried to pull her closer, he could no longer ignore the obvious. She wouldn't let him. "Let me go," she said.

Reluctantly, he did. Since they'd made love, she'd been behaving strangely. Eric could see it in her eyes and he could feel it in her touch that she wanted to be with him. He never would've forced himself on her. He began to wonder if that was why she wanted him to let her go. Was she afraid of him? Did she think that he was going to make her stay with him against her will? He wouldn't do that to her. He would never hurt her.

_Please, let it be something else. _"Do you want to go and shower? I mean, for real this time? I can wash your back for you …your hair."

"No," she said. Sookie didn't get out of the bed. She slid up on her pillow and just laid there. She lay on her side with her hands folded underneath her head and stared at his chest. She decided that she wasn't going to run.

"Look at me, lover," he demanded softly. When her eyes remained glued to his chest, Eric mumbled something about how stubborn his little fae is. He lifted her face to his until she finally looked into his eyes. He didn't see fear and he didn't see disdain and anguish. What he saw was resolve; unrequited resolve.

When he saw that she wasn't going to leave, an unnecessary sigh of relief escaped him. He mimicked her position and returned the stare. He could see what was coming next. After she'd told him that she was going to give their marriage a chance, he thought that he'd prepared himself for this moment. He knew that the talk was coming. He was ready for the talk. Well, he thought that he was ready for the talk. He is over a thousand years old and he's fought some of the fiercest battles and he made it out on top. He'd matched wits with the best of them and he always prided himself on being able to stand on his own. He always came out on top but tonight. Tonight was going to be different. There was so much in her eyes. He could feel every emotion that she was going through. Surprisingly, he still wasn't ready to hear what she had to say. Though he would never admit it, he was afraid of what she would have to say. He decided to have his say first.

"I'm going to do everything in my power to fix this, Sookie," he whispered. It sounded as if the words had been torn from his heart. "Don't leave. We can fix this. We will fix this. We can talk about things now or either we can wait. Whatever you want to do, I'll do it. Just don't leave."

She stared at him for a few seconds more. She knew that she wanted to make this work. Even though she kept second guessing herself and what she was going to do, she knew now that she wanted to save her marriage. She's always known.

"I think I loved you before I even knew what love was," she finally said. "Grandmother always told me that I would be safe with you because you were the one chosen for me. Did you know that she chose you just for me? She believes in us."

"I'm sorry that I couldn't see that everything that I'd ever need was in front of me."

"I wanted to hate you but I couldn't. I kept changing my mind over and over again about trying to make this work because I was afraid. I was determined that I wasn't going to waste one more second with you. I didn't want to love you and I sure as hell didn't want to spend the rest of my existence with you but if I am going to be honest with myself, I've never wanted anything more. I'm vulnerable when it comes to you. Why is that?" She looked deep into his eyes and asked, "Why can't I say no to you and stick with it?"

"Because your grandmother is right," he answered. "We are meant to be Sookie. The night that you told that you were leaving me, I saw my life end. But tonight, while we were making love, something happened. I don't know what it was or care what it was. I just know that I'm not going anywhere. I'll spend the rest of my days loving you if you'll let me. I have no life without you."

She believed him. "I was going to. Leave, I mean. I was going to leave you laying here and never come back. You were never going to find me. I was afraid that we'd made a mistake and that you would go back to the way you used to be after we made love. When you called me lover, just as you used to do and you didn't mean it, it scared me."

He shamefully placed his hand on her naked hip. What could he say? She had every reason to be apprehensive. It was only natural. He wouldn't have expected anything else from her.

"I was weak tonight," she said disgracefully.

"No, you weren't weak. We both wanted this." He pulled her closer to him; wrapping his arms around her protectively. "This …tonight …was the first right thing we've done in a very long time. No, I take that back. It's the first right thing _I've_ done since we've been married. Tonight …everything; and that includes our lovemaking, was right. It was perfect."

"Nothing between us is going to be perfect until we do what has to be done. The damage that's been done to us … to our marriage; it is going to be irreparable if we don't do what we need to do to fix this." She could see the hurt in Eric's eyes. He was thinking that she was going to turn away from him again. He didn't think that she was going to give them a try. He was wrong.

"Listen, Eric," she said as she placed her hand on his cheek. "I can't place all of the blame on you when it comes to the demise of this marriage. When I realized that you weren't going to love me as you led me to believe, I should've went about this marriage as the contract that it was supposed to be but I didn't. I wanted more. I wanted the Eric that I fell in love with in Fae. I wanted happiness and love. I wanted it all."

Eric scooted in closer to her and said, "Let me explain. There is a reason I did what I did. Firstly, I have to say that there is no valid reason for me doing what I did but there is a reason just the same."

"Fintan," she said simply.

"You know."

"I know."

"Claudette?"

"Claudette and grandmother," she answered. "Grandmother heard him on the phone with you the night that you called him; the night that she came to see me."

"When did Claudette tell you?"

"She told me before we went on vacation. She told me in a rather harsh way but I don't blame her. I was defending Fintan and it pissed her off. She wanted me to see what he really is. Boy did she show me. She said that grandmother called her home and told her everything. Grandmother bestowed the duty upon Claudette to tell me that Fintan had a hand in destroying our marriage."

Eric couldn't believe what he was hearing. He'd always assumed that she would have taken her grandfather's side. He thought that she would never forgive him for the things he'd done to her. Deep down, he knew that she shouldn't forgive him so easily but forgiveness is just as much a part of her as her stubbornness is. It has always been a part of who she is. He's never met anyone that could hold a candle to her.

"I've made mistakes, Sookie. I've made very stupid mistakes and I can't take them back. For centuries, I've lived my life without regret. That is until you entered my life. I regret every bad thing I've ever done to you. It pains me to know that I let you believe that I was fucking the fangbangers. I let you believe that you didn't matter to me when you are all that I can think about. I was wrong."

She nodded. "Yeah, you were. We'll chalk it up to a bad judgement call. What hurts the most is that you couldn't decipher for yourself that I love you. I love you and you let Fintan's evil and conniving tricks take our happiness away. Do you know how much happier we would be? Do you know how good our life could be if not for you believing in him? I hate him for what he's done to us. I hate him for what he did to you; what he had you believing."

Her pain and heartache slowly coursed through his body. Eric rested his forehead against hers and moaned a soulful moan. He felt like a fool before the eyes of the woman that he loves. He regretted all that he has done to her. He had no right to expect her to stay with him. He had no right to expect her to forgive him or to work on their marriage. Anything that she had to offer him, he had no right to take.

"You could've come to me," she said. Now she was the one that was feeling his pain and his heartache. She was feeling his embarrassment and his regret.

"Let me feel it," he said.

This time, she couldn't believe what she was hearing. She's never given pain to anyone as a punishment no matter how awful the being. She soothed away the pain and the fear. It's her job for them to see a better way; not to cause pain. "That's not why I'm saying these things to you. We needed to talk things over before we take things any further. It's not my intentions to have you do this. I would never …"

"Let me feel it," he ordered. He wanted to see what he'd done to her. He wanted to know how he'd made her feel. It was his punishment to bear and bear it he would. "I don't blame you. Please, let me feel it."

Sookie could see that Eric was serious in his need to see what he'd put her through. She lay on her back and opened her arms for him. He rested his head on her chest and she stroked his head as he relived the worst moments of her life with him.

He felt her humiliation when he would take the fangbangers in his office. He saw that the stares in the bar never made her falter. She'd sit even taller and smile even brighter. She'd carry on conversations with the patrons as if nothing had happened but he could feel her heartbreaking and her soul shattering. He felt the pain in her soul and saw the torment in her eyes when he would 'fuck' her and not kiss her. He felt the loneliness that she had to endure when they would be standing side by side when they went to the summits. The embarrassment that she felt when they would dance and there would be enough room for another couple in between them. She would watch him laughing with the others at the summits and she would wish that he would be so carefree and happy with her. Her pain and humiliation were more than he could bear. The bloody tears fell from his eyes and stained his pale white face.

Sookie kissed his forehead just as she stopped the memories. "That's enough. Don't ask that of me again." Her voice was hard and cold. "Fintan used you to do what he wanted you to do. You don't know my grandfather." She chuckled. "_I_ didn't know my grandfather. I never realized how deceitful and hateful he really is. I used to think that my grandfather cared about me; my feelings but the fact that he could ruin our marriage without as much as a thought to me or my feelings is more than eye opening. He knowingly let me go into this marriage thinking that you would always love me when he knew what he'd done. He knew that my heart would be broken and that loving you would be my biggest regret." Speaking to herself, she said, "That's what he wanted."

Eric looked at Sookie and asked, "What do you mean?"

"You didn't come to me before you'd made your mind up about us … about me. You judged me based on what _he_ told you. You didn't think that my love for you was real. You made me feel as I wasn't worth loving; as if my life and my love weren't worth sharing but I know that it wasn't completely your fault."

Eric was about to explain to Sookie how Fintan used him. He wanted her to see what Fintan had shown him to doubt her but, alas, she was not interested. "It doesn't matter anymore. That's what he wanted. He doesn't want us to love one another. He doesn't want me to share my gifts with you; our blessings. He wanted them to be with another." With a far off look on her face, she said, "I see it now. The dream was of the life that awaits me. We were to be no more than a contract. Your unwillingness to believe that you actually loved me almost made his wish come true."

"I'm sorry," was all that he could say because everything she'd said was the truth.

Sookie was no longer lying down. She was sitting on the edge of the bed with her back to him and looking at the wall. "My dearest Eric, there is no need for apologies. We can't change the past. Fintan almost took something from us that we so desperately wanted. Fintan almost destroyed us. You could've stood up to him but you chose not to. You could've said that you know how I truly feel about you. It would've been nice for you to say that I would've never altered your feelings with my touch but you didn't. You chose to believe him."

Eric didn't know what to think or what he was supposed to say. Was this little speech her way of saying good-bye? Was tonight the last night that he was ever going to make love to her? Was that pity that she'd bestowed upon him? Or was she saying that no matter what they were going to get through this? Was she telling him that they could endure anything that was put in front of them? Was she telling him that any enemy that tried to defeat them would fall at their feet? He needed to know and needed to know now?

"Is this good-bye?" he asked stiffly as he instantly blurred himself in front of her. "Are you saying good-bye to me?"

She decided not to answer him right away. There was more that she needed to say and even though she knew that it was going to be hard on him, he needed to listen. It was the only way they were going to make it.

"You've always known that I love you. You knew that I would never have altered your feelings. You were willing to believe the worst about me when you knew that it wasn't true. In my mind's eye, we are worth fighting for. Why didn't you tell me, Eric? When he said those things to you, you should've come to me. We could've defeated him together but you didn't believe in me."

"I talked to your grandfather on the night that you told me that you were leaving me. I confronted him about his lies and I freely admit that I was a fool for believing him but just as I told him, Sookie. I am not going to lose you. I'm going to fight for you. I'm going to fight for us. We _are_ worth fighting for. Don't do this."

Tears fell freely from her eyes. "Tell me why you think that we should stay together Eric. Tell me why you love me."

Eric pulled her into his arms and rested his chin on the top of Sookie's head as he told her why he loves her. "Because you're smart and funny," he said as he kissed the top of her head. "Your zest for life is greater than anyone's I've ever known. You're adventurous and you have the most beautiful smile. You smell like honey when you get nervous and your eyes sparkle when you're angry. And you have a heart of gold; a soul of pure love." Taking a step back so that he could look into her eyes, he said, "I love you, Sookie. We don't have to make love. We don't have to go and visit my friends and I won't intrude in on movie night. And I won't stand in front of the TV while you're watching it. I'll remember that Cate Blanchett is your favorite actress. I love you. You have to believe me. Don't give up on us."

Lightly kissing his lips, Sookie said, "I'm not going anywhere."

His face remained neutral but his eyes were filled with pure, unadulterated joy. "If it weren't so close to dawn, I'd tell you why I love you for as long as you would listen to me." He looked into her eyes and he saw everything that he has ever wanted but never thought he would have again because of he and Fintan had done. The very look that he saw in her eyes was the same look that she had when he'd first walked into her grandparents' palace. No matter what she said or what she did, she has never faltered in her love for him. She said that she wasn't in love with him. She said that she wasn't going to stay with him. She said that she didn't want to bother with him any longer but her eyes told him differently. Suddenly he had a morose look in his eyes.

"I don't deserve you," he said. He looked down at her and his face was a plethora of emotions; melancholy, remorse, and anguish. Though she wasn't going to run, she wasn't going to leave, he didn't deserve her. Sookie felt sorry for him because she knew that all that happened between them was not entirely his fault. The blame was to be shared.

"I'm so sorry," he groaned. "I'm so sorry for more things than you can possibly imagine."

"Eric, don't," Sookie started. "You don't have to keep apologizing …"

He didn't let her finish. Before lifting Sookie in his arms and hugging her as tightly as he could, he kissed the tip of her nose. He carried her back to her bed. He placed her on the now dry sheets. As she lay back on her pillows, she watched him as he pulled the disheveled covers up over her naked body. Once she was tucked in, Eric's eyes lingered on her face for a long few moments. After coming to some sort of decision, Eric turned to leave. He slowly walked towards the door. She watched him as he was about to leave. Her heart and her soul were heavy.

"Stay," she suddenly yelled out to him.

He turned to face her.

"Will you stay with me?" she asked.

Kneeling down by the side of the bed, Eric asked, "Are you asking me to stay because you don't want to sleep alone or because you want me here?"

"You," she whispered.

Within seconds, he was in bed with her and holding her in his arms. There was no lovemaking. There was no kissing. There was only holding. "This is what I miss; touching you, being close to you after we make love," Eric said as he nuzzled her hair. "I do love you, Sookie. I've always loved you."

"I know," she said. She soon yawned. She had to be in Hot Shot by 10:00 am and she needed to get some sleep. "Tonight we had a nice talk didn't we?"

"We sure did," he replied as she settled into the grove of his body. "It was the best talk we've ever had." He chuckled and then said, "I think it's the most talking we've done since we've been married."

She followed up with a giggled. "I can't wait until tomorrow night because there is one subject left that we have to talk about; Freyda."

Eric's hold tightened.

She noticed the tight hold and the change in his feelings but she said nothing. "I know about Freyda showing up for one of the nights that you were with your friends. I also know that you didn't want her there but you didn't send her away. I can't wait to hear why you decided to throw a party in her honor and not tell me about it." She smiled as she closed her eyes. "I can't wait to hear what you have to say about her. If things go as well as they did tonight, I'll be back in our bedroom in no time. Good-night, Eric."

"Good-night, my lover," he replied. Soon he was being lulled by her steady heartbeat and breathing. This was what he's wanted since she moved out of their bedroom; to be close to her. He suddenly wished that he had a couple of more hours to be with her because after she hears about Freyda, he was sure that they were only going to be married because of the contract.


	28. Chapter 28

**A Marriage of Inconvenience?**

**I want to thank you all for your alerts, favorites, and reviews. Thank you all for the time that you've given the story. I'm sorry that I didn't get to post this on the third day. Work kicked my ass this week. I'd also like to say that it has never been my intention to confuse anyone but I can say, for myself, that there have been instances when I've contemplated leaving my husband. Then the next minute I'll think that it's worth working things out. But emotions are/can be confusing. **

**Anyway, I hope that you enjoy. The characters do not belong to me. They belong to CH. The story is mine.**

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As Sookie sat in the car with the letter in her hand, she tried wondering what went wrong; what caused things to go as they had today. It started out as a great day. She woke up beside her husband and they were making progress. No matter what, tonight they were going to talk about Freyda. They were going to make their marriage work. The second most wonderful part is that her grandmother called her before her meeting with Calvin Norris. Adele called just to tell Sookie that she loves her and that she was thinking of her. Her exact words were that Sookie and Eric were on her mind.

"By the way you sound this morning, I can gather that you've made your mind up about your marriage. You two had a good night?"

Sookie giggled. "Yes ma'am, I have and yes we did. I realized that I was thinking too much. There was no need for me to over think things. I want to be with him and I'm willing to work things out. If I'm wrong then it's a lesson that I've learned. I believe now that what we have is more than just a sexual relationship. I know that this is love, grandmother. Last night, while we were making love, something happened to us and it was beautiful."

"It was the essence. You know that it has been springtime for a few months now. Just because it's not springtime there, doesn't mean that it's not springtime here. It's easy to forget when you've lived in the earthly realm. Their seasons differ from ours but even though you are away, our seasons still affect you. You know when springtime arrives. You can feel it all over; your heart, soul. It's a part of who we are."

Sookie began to whisper. "Last night, I did something that I've never done before. I drank his blood without him asking me to. I didn't want to but it was as if I needed it. I craved it."

Adele laughed. "That's okay. Your body desires it and it wants it. He's your husband. It's okay, my dearest one. His blood will do wonders for you in the future."

"It's so different, grandmother. We are no longer two beings. He shares my heart and my soul. I share his memories and every emotion he's ever tried to hide." Sookie blushed as if she was being watched. "When he's dead to the world, he's not really dead. He's dreaming and I can see those dreams if I want. This morning, he was dreaming of us. We had sons and we had a life, grandmother. We had a good life. It was so real. Even before we became one, I wanted the life that he dreamed of. I wished for it, every night, every time we made love but to know that he wishes it as well, it gives me hope. I love it. I never want to let it go." She added, "I won't have to worry about the unknown man and children in my dreams. Isn't that wonderful, grandmother? I won't have to be in a loveless marriage. I want this."

In a sad and monotone voice, Adele, said, "When you're with the one that loves you, there's nothing like it. Love makes you feel ..." her voice trailed off. "Never mind the ramblings of an old lady. We've never shared the season with vampires; it obviously effects vampires just as it does the fae. Andromeda foresaw this; you and the vampire. You and Eric have done something that the supe world said could never happen."

"Grandmother, I wish that I had told Eric how I felt in the beginning of our marriage instead of waiting for as long as I did. There is so much damage that we both caused. If we had only talked things over it would be so different with us now. There is so much that we could have done but our communication was lacking. We're going to make it better, grandmother. You're going to be so proud of us."

"I've always been proud of you, Sookie. I've always known that you can do anything that you put your mind to; including saving your marriage."

"Enough about me and Eric," Sookie said. "You owe me an explanation, young lady. What took you so long to call me back? I've been calling you for quite awhile but you wouldn't call me back. I wanted to tell …"

Adele cut her off in mid sentence with a hearty laugh. "I haven't been a young lady in quite a few centuries. To answer your question, I've been extremely busy, dearest one. Things have been a bit …hectic here but they've settled down a little; at least for the next hour or so. What was so urgent that you had to call me two hundred times in one day and send Courtland to see me? I know that there's nothing wrong with you and the vampire."

In a soft voice, Sookie said, "I wanted to say thank you for what you've done for us. You don't have to do it, you know. You don't have to leave Fintan because of me. That's not necessary. I'll be fine. You know that you and Fintan can work …"

In a stern voice, Adele said, "That's enough of that. My marriage is of my concern. Whatever I decide to do, it is because of me and only me. You handle your business there and I will handle what happens here. You had nothing to do with your grandfather's deceptive ways. It was his choice to destroy what we had, not yours. Do you understand me?"

"Yes, ma'am," Sookie said in her little girl voice.

"Don't you ever think that the demise of my marriage is your fault, do you hear me?"

"Yes, ma'am."

"Whatever has happened to our marriage is solely the burden of your grandfather's. You and Eric have nothing to do with it. No matter what happens, it is not your fault. Tell me that you understand and that you will not blame yourself. Ever."

"I understand and I won't blame myself. Ever."

"Good," she said.

Sookie could almost see her grandmother smoothing down the front of her dress and running her fingers through her hair. She said what she had to say and that was that. There was going to be no arguing and nothing else would be said about it. Everyone in fae knew that when Adele Brigant spoke to them in the sternest of voices, there was nothing else to be said. If you didn't like what she had to say, you kept it to yourself and dealt with it.

"Now, there is something that I need for you to do for me." She told Sookie that she wanted her to go and see Dr. Ludwig instead of coming back to Fae to see Elden; the doctor that treats all fae women. "It's not a good time for you to return here. You need to stay home," she said.

That surprised Sookie. Adele always referred to Fae as their home. The earthly realm was just a vacation place with extraordinary benefits. It was never supposed to be considered home and she knew that it was best that she didn't go home right now because of what was going on with Fintan but Faery is her home. Sookie has every intention of staying in the earthly realm with Eric but Faery is home. It will always be home.

"If you think that's best," Sookie replied. She knew not to disobey Adele. All of the girls knew that if their grandmother told them to do something, they had better do it. There were no questions asked. There was no sass mouthing. They did as they were told.

"I do," Adele said. "Don't bother calling me back and telling me what the doctor says. We both know what's going on with you. You've always known. If you would stop being so darned stubborn, you would admit it to yourself. Your mother was just like that." She fell quiet. "You would've loved her so much. She definitely would've loved you. You're just alike; stubborn."

"Grandmother, is every …"

"I'm still speaking," Adele interrupted. "You go on and do what you have to do. Stop those dang blasted denial games and talk to your husband. Look, sweetie, I have to go." Before she hung up the phone, she said, "I do love you."

"I love you too, grandmother."

It was settled and that was that. Sookie had decided that she going to do as Adele told her to. She was going to see Dr. Ludwig as soon as the meeting was over for the residents of Hot Shot. And that's how her day started. Perfectly. From the time she left home, she was in an excellent mood. She and her husband were on the way of fixing their marriage. Her grandmother had called to say that she loves her and Sookie knew that she was going to get the residents of Hot Shot the things that they needed. And that's exactly what she did.

The roads that were no more than potholes were going to be repaved. The street lights were going to be placed at the entrances of Hot Shot and throughout their community. The little schoolhouse was going to be renovated and they were going to have real teachers instead of parents posing as teachers. The children and the elderly residents were going to get the medical care that they so desperately needed. Hot Shot was going to get the renovations that they needed. New roofs and some residents would be getting new homes. That part she had to talk over with Eric but she knew that he would agree. She only cared that the people of Hot Shot would be warm and snug by the first of November.

Calvin Norris and his people were just as happy as Sookie has ever seen them. They also knew that she was going to get them the things that they needed so they planned a surprise barbecue for her and Eric. He was expected to show up at dusk. She told them that as soon as she was done with her next appointment, she was going to be there. Sadly, she had to call and tell Calvin that she couldn't make it.

"I heard," he said as soon as he answered her call. "If there's anything that you need, please don't hesitate to call either me or Tanya. You're family and we will stand with you."

Staying as strong as ever, Sookie's voice didn't tremble and her head remained high. "Thank you, Mr. Norris. Your words are of great comfort. If you need anything further of me, I am here. You need only call."

He knew that she was hurting but said nothing. The fae as a people will never change. They always have to be strong even when it hurts to be. He could only guess that's why she stayed with the vampire for as long as she did. "Good day, Mrs. Northman."

She made it home without realizing that she was home. She didn't bother pulling the car into the garage. She couldn't stop thinking about how perfect this day was supposed to be. Hell, it was supposed to be a perfect day for all; well expect for the council members, but she was wrong. The rain rolled over the windshield of her car as tears fell from her eyes.

Sookie looked down at her hands and at the wadded up piece of paper that has forever changed her life. She squeezed her eyes closed and cried harder than she has ever allowed herself to cry. She's usually able to hide her emotions. That's what faeries are supposed to do. They stay strong and they aren't to let anything drag them down; no matter how bad it is. Thunder beat against the skies as her crying became louder. Lightning flashed across the sky as her shimmer filled the car. There was so much pain. She'd never felt such pain. She never knew pain like this existed. She got out of the car and walked to the front yard. There she stood as the rain fell down on her face. It hid the tears.

"Mrs. Northman," William called out. He's one of the Were guards that Eric hired to watch the grounds during the day. "Mrs. Northman, are you okay? You're getting wet. I can go in and grab an umbrella if you like. Mr. Northman's not going to be happy to hear that I let you get so wet. What if you get sick?"

She ignored him and continued to stand there. Her fae guards were watching her. They knew why she stood in the rain. It was to wash away her pain and no one was to interfere with her. Everyone in the land of Fae was grieving today. They understood her grief. They also knew to keep their distance. The Were was new. He didn't realize the pain of fae women. Hopefully, for his sakes, Sookie would realize the Were was new.

"Mrs. North …" He swallowed the rest of his words.

Her eye had gone completely black. Only a faint blue outline surrounded the black orbs. Within in seconds, the fae guards removed the Were before he could meet his unfortunate demise.

"Sookie, it's me." Just as the lightening cracked against the sky, Claudette appeared. Her chocolate brown hair was plastered to her head. Her eyes were as dark and as sullen as Sookie's only her held a faint green outline.

She turned at the sound of her cousin's voice. There was no more sobbing but the tears continued to fall. Seeing Claudette made it true. She'd lost some of her glow. For awhile, all of the fae would lose some of their glow. It was sign of mourning. Claudette stood beside Sookie and both of the fae women stared out into the rainy evening sky. She reached for Sookie's hand and once she had it, she never wanted to let it go. She needed the feeling of oneness.

"She ate the deadliest fruit." Claudette's voice trembled at the words. "She's abandoned us. What are we to do now?"

"She suffered?" Sookie asked.

Claudette shook her head no. It was a lot different for her than it was for Claudette. For a fae, eating the deadliest fruit was the same as a human drinking acid. If Eric and Pam hadn't been there to save her, she would have suffered a horrifying death. She would have …

"How could she do that?" Sookie closed her eyes and thought of her. She had the most beautiful smile. She had the sincerest heart and the most beautiful soul. If not for her, many of the fae wouldn't have souls and now ...now she's gone.

Claudette continued to cry. Heart wrenching sobs wracked her body.

"She came to you."

Claudette nodded and sniffled as she answered Sookie. "Yes. She told me to give you a message. She said that you will survive this and you will live a long and happy life. She said that you'll have a life of love. No more chasing dreams or pavements for any of us; no more of us settling for less than what we deserve."

Sookie's bottom lip began to tremble and her knees gave way. Life as she knew it was over. There was no one to help with the new changes and challenges that she was about to face. Claudette sat down on the ground with her; still holding onto Sookie's hand.

"Why did she do it, Claudette? Why would she eat the deadliest fruit? We've always been there for her; for each other. All she had to do was call us. We need her. We're nothing without her." When she turned to look in Claudette's eyes, Sookie saw it. "You knew," she whispered. "You knew that she was going to do it before she did it."

She squeezed Sookie's hand tighter. She's always known but what was she supposed to do? She couldn't stop her. She tried. The night that Adele told Claudette that she was leaving Fintan, Claudette knew what it meant. She tried her damnedest to get her to change her mind. When she went to see Adele after the vacation she and Sookie took, Claudette was turned away every single time. She was not allowed beyond the palace doors. She sent her fae guard to the palace with a message for her grandmother. She threatened that she would tell Fintan. Adele knew that Claudette would have never betrayed her so the threat meant nothing to her and she didn't change her mind. There was nothing that she could do.

"When grandmother said that she was going to leave Fintan, there was no other way. Sookie, there are some things that she never told you and she never told you for a reason. You wouldn't have been able to handle it. If you had known what she was going to do, you wouldn't have given your marriage or your obligations in this world a second thought."

Sookie's hand went to her heart. She understood now why Adele told her not to blame herself. She understood now why she said that it wasn't her fault. "She could have come to me. She could have stayed with me and Eric. She didn't have to do what she did. She had us. We could have protected her from Fintan."

"No," Claudette said. "She had no other choice. She and Fintan were one. She couldn't live without him. She was his chosen one. He gave her his essence. She would have died if she'd come here. The difference is that she would have suffered in this realm. In our world, she lived as if she was a fae. If she'd come here to live out her remaining days, she would have been ravaged by the aches and pains of the humans. It would have taken years for the essence to leave her body but the suffering would have been horrendous for her. It would have been ripped from her body; only slowly. By doing what she did, she eased her pain. In order to be free of his essence, she had to kill it. That's why she ate the deadliest fruit. She returned to her human form and she died."

In between sobs, Sookie asked, "And she didn't suffer? You promise that she didn't suffer?"

Claudette shook her head, "No. She died in her sleep."

"He had to have felt it. Why didn't he stop her?" Sookie yelled. "Why didn't he try to stop her?"

"He didn't know that she'd done it until he felt it. It was too late. It was like with Lucian and me. When I killed him, I could feel my insides shred. It felt as if my heart had been ripped from my body. My soul was gone. So if anyone suffered physically from grandmother's death, it was Fintan."

"Claudette, what's going to keep him from following her to the Summerlands?"

"Everything," she said. "Grandmother's a very smart woman. She knew what she was doing. She wanted him to suffer. She wanted him to know what it was like to live without the one that you love most of all. She wanted him to suffer the same fate that he'd planned for you. He is now the one that is to live without his true love. He is the one that will live a long and lonely life. That is why you can't go and see Elden. You did go and Dr. Ludwig didn't you?"

Sookie nodded as a surprise look settled on her face. Claudette knew more than she'd ever let on.

"Good," she answered. "You see little one, if you go home now, you can never return. Fintan's the last living Brigant in Faery. It's not possible for him to die; no matter what he does. He has to have an heir there that will replace him. Since we are here, he has no choice but to live his remaining days alone. A living Brigant has to be there to replace him." She looked Sookie in the eyes and said, "Neither you nor Claudine will ever return to the land of Fae. That is grandmother's wish and it is a wish that we will abide by."

For the first time since hearing about her grandmother's death, Sookie smiled. "You have my word."

A popping noise filled the still air. "Is it true?"Claudine asked. "Tell me that it's not true. Tell me that grandmother is not gone. It's a dream, right? I'm dreaming and I'll wake up to the smell her perfume and kisses. It isn't so." Her voice was soft and filled with sadness. A wadded up piece of paper was in one hand as the other rested on her baby belly.

Claudette patted the wet grass beside her. After much effort, Claudine was able to sit down. "It is so, Cici."

"What am I supposed to do?" Claudine asked. "She is our touchstone. She keeps our little family together. How are we supposed to make it without her? Why would she do this to us? Why would she leave us alone like this?"

"Fintan," Claudette responded. "She did it because of Fintan."

Claudine snapped her head around to face her sister and her cousin. "What? Why you would speak such hateful lies? Grandmother loves grandfather. She would never leave him."

"Cici, I've never lied to you, have I?"

Claudine saw the truth on her sister's face. Closing her eyes, she said, "Tell me what happened."

Claudette held her sister's hand tightly as she told her how Adele listened to Fintan as he taunted Eric on the phone about how he'd helped him destroy his marriage to Sookie. "Grandmother lost all faith in him. She couldn't bear to be with him any longer. She never stopped loving him and she knew that she could never stop loving him. She had no other choice. This was her plan all along, Claudine."

Claudine began to cry. Just like Sookie, her vision of Fintan was now destroyed.

As Claudine cried Claudette wrapped her baby sister in her arms. She told her about their grandmother requesting that they never return to Faery. She kissed Claudine's cheek. "Look at me Cici," she said. When Claudine looked at her, she told her what they had to do for Adele. "We can't return home; at least for a few hundred years. His punishment should be the punishment that he wanted to bestow upon on our Sookie. He wanted her to be miserable and lonely. For six years that is what she was. Fintan relished in it. He knew how much Sookie loved Eric and he didn't care. Her pain made him happy. She saw that. She was finally able to see him as I've always known him to be. Grandmother felt that for him to live without her is a just punishment for Fintan. When I got her vision, I promised her that we would grant her wish." She placed her hands on Claudine's shoulders and said, "All of us, sister. Our fae princess has already agreed. Do you stand with us, Claudine?"

She put her hands over her face and cried a little more. "Colman brought this letter to me today. Grandmother had written it to me. I knew that something was wrong. She never writes letters. If she has something to say to us, she says it to our faces." She wiped tears and mucus across her face with her arm. "I tried calling her but she wouldn't take my call. At least she told me that she loves me." She began to cry again. "I wish that I could've told her because I do." She looked at her sister and cousin and said, "I do."

"Me too," Sookie said as a hanky appeared in her hand. She stood up from the ground and walked over to where Claudine was sitting. Sookie flopped down on the ground beside Claudine as she cleaned her cousins's face. Claudine hugged her when she was done.

"Me three," Claudette said.

"Memories?" Claudine asked as she release Sookie from her hold.

The three fae women nodded and smiled. They gathered around in a circle and held hands. They shared their favorite and best memories of their childhood. They were soon smiling. Pretty soon, they were giggling. Not too long after, they were laughing. The sun was shining brightly and the birds were singing.

"I love you," the three fae women said to the sky.

"You have my word," Claudine said. In a sad voice, she added, "I'm lost without her."

Claudette chuckled. "I'm going to stay in trouble. I just know it."

"Probably," Sookie said as Claudette plucked her. "Eric and I will look out for the both of you. You two will look out for me. We have each other. We've always had each other and we'll keep on having each other. We'll make it and we'll be strong just like grandmother raised us to be. We're going to be fine and we're going to be wonderful and strong fae women. Deal?"

"Deal," the sisters said at the same time.

"Just like grandmother said, we are the masters of our destiny." Sookie got up from the ground and patted her bottom. Though her heart was breaking, she couldn't let them see it. "You girls go home and begin mastering your destiny. I'll call you later."

Claudette and Claudine kissed Sookie's cheeks and popped themselves home. As she walked to the house, tears fell from her eyes. Even though it was an hour before dusk, she began to wish that Eric was awake. She needed him.


	29. Chapter 29

**A Marriage of Inconvenience?**

**Thank you all so much for the alerts, reviews, and favorites. I especially want to thank those of you that are allowing the story to play out instead of thinking the worst.**

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After she'd gone upstairs to change into a t-shirt dress, Sookie went straight to the kitchen and poured herself a tall glass of orange juice. She'd wanted some toast with orange marmalade but she'd changed her mind. She could only think of what her grandmother had eaten and why. Adele had eaten the deadliest fruit in order to rip Fintan's essence from within her. The very idea that her grandmother did what she did replayed in her mind over and over again. She couldn't help but think about what had happened with her and Eric last night. She'd given him her essence.

He is now her chosen one. What if something happens between them that causes Eric to do what her grandmother has done? Would she suffer the same fate as Fintan? What if she dies and Eric has to feel the very essence of Sookie's heart and soul being ripped from within him. Would he suffer a horrifying fate… an unfathomable death? There was no way around it. Eric would suffer if she dies. She could suffer if Eric dies. That is not a fate that she would have chosen for either of them. She only wanted them to share their life and their love. It was never her intention to possibly condemn them to such a fate.

As she thought of what Adele had done, Sookie couldn't help but feel a little betrayed by her beloved grandmother. Not because of what she'd done but because of what she didn't do. She didn't warn Sookie of the consequences of becoming one with her chosen one. Neither Adele nor Claudette prepared her for what could possibly lay ahead for her and Eric. It then dawned on her that maybe, just maybe, she and Eric aren't meant to suffer the same fate that was destined for her grandparents or that of Claudette and Lucian. There is a possibility that she and Eric would have an everlasting love story.

She looked at the clock and noticed that it was only 4:00. She didn't want to have to sit in the kitchen alone and wonder about their fate. Sookie wanted to share her concerns with him. She wanted to see him. She needed to see his eyes and to hear his voice but alas; she would have to wait. Vampires didn't rise at 4:00 in the afternoon. Though she wished that he was awake and sitting with her, she settled into the idea that she would just have to wait until dusk.

"Sookie," his voice suddenly said. Just as she put the glass to her mouth, the sound of his voice startled her. The glass crashed onto the floor and shattered on impact. There was orange juice and glass shards spread out at her bare feet. The loud noise completely unraveled her; shattering her already frayed nerves.

"Oh," she cried as her eyes flooded with tears. She looked up at Eric and said, "Oh. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to wake you. I just wanted to … I just needed to … I'm sorry." Her eyes dropped to the floor as tears rolled down her cheeks.

"Sookie," Eric said. As if he'd never seen the pieces of glass on the floor, he was standing beside her in seconds. He lifted her face to his and his eyes held concern. "Are you okay?"

She shook her head no. She wanted to answer him but she couldn't. She continued to cry. Sookie was standing in the middle of the kitchen floor surrounded by glass and juice. Eric didn't ask her any more questions. He lifted her in his arms and she leaned her head against his chest as he carried her to the living room. He placed her gently on the couch.

"I'll be back once I've cleaned up that mess in the kitchen."

She balled herself up on the couch and cried. She understood why her grandmother did what she did. She didn't have to like it but she understood it. The punishment for Fintan was a just punishment. He deserves to be alone in that palace. He didn't deserve to have family around him but that fate was not a fate that she and Eric deserved. Why didn't she tell her?

'_Fear would have stopped you, my beloved_,' Adele whispered in Sookie's ear.

"Grandmother?" Sookie said as she quickly sat up. She looked around the room. "Gran?" she called out once again. No one was in the room with her. She closed her eyes and she could smell the sweet smell of Adele.

'_It's time for your own love story. The love story of Eric and Sookie Northman is yet to be written.'_

Just as quickly as the voice was there, it was gone.

When Eric returned to the living room, she was sitting up on the couch and staring straight ahead. He sat down beside her and waited. He wasn't going to rush her into telling him anything.

"It was raining earlier today," she said. "It was cold rain."

Eric leaned back on the couch and she laid her head on his waiting lap. He caressed her head as she laid there and relaxed. After a few more moments of silence, Eric said, "There are a couple of things that I want to ask you but first I want to know what happened to you today. I could feel your sorrow throughout my rest." He leaned down and kissed her cheek. He closed his eyes as he inhaled the scent of the November sun and rain on her skin.

"Grandmother died today," she whispered.

Eric's body stiffened. "Adele is gone?"

Sookie nodded. "She ate the deadliest fruit."

His first thoughts went to Claudette and her possible death with the fruit. "Was she murdered?"

"No," Sookie answered. "She did it on her own."

"I am sorry for your pain. I know how much you love her. Do you know what would cause her to take such actions? We would have been there for her. She is family and we don't leave family stranded."

"Unless they deserve it," Sookie added.

"Yes," Eric agreed. "Unless they deserve it."

"She did it because of Fintan. She did it because of the plans that he had for me; for us." Sookie went on to explain Adele's actions to him just as Claudette explained them to her and to Claudine.

While Sookie talked, Eric sat in wonder. He'd never been in the presence of such strong women in all of his existence; women that weren't vampires, that is. Sookie was telling the story of how her grandmother had taken her own life yet she didn't flinch and she didn't cry as she spoke. Her voice didn't crack once. She told him about the reasoning as if she was speaking of a story she'd heard on the news. Anyone else would think that she felt no pain but it flowed through her as if it was her lifeline. There was only one conclusion. Sookie had to have gotten her strength from her grandmother.

Adele ended her life and her love as punishment for the man that has always said that he could never live without her. She was quite aware of the pain that was going to be inflicted on her soul mate but she didn't care. As far as the fae women are concerned, the suicide and the punishment are justified. Sookie is proud of her grandmother's actions though she misses her. She has made a vow to never return to a land that has always been her home because it was her grandmother's final wish. Each of the Brigant ladies have made a promise and because he knows them, he knows that it is a promise that each intend to keep.

"I will never step foot in the land of Fae again," Sookie said. "I will miss my home but it is only fair that I never return. If Fintan's plan had been successful, my home would be my prison. And you my love would be my enemy." She placed her hand to his cheek.

As he melted into her touch, he said, "You sound as if you are proud of what Adele has done."

"I am."

"Then why do you cry, my lover? I don't understand your tears. I don't understand your pain."

Sookie lifted her head from his lap and replaced it with her body. She wrapped her arms around his neck as she rested her head on his shoulder. "I weep for us."

"Enlighten me," he replied.

"Last night, while we were making love, I made you my chosen one; my life mate." She placed her hand on his chest and said, "My heart and soul are one with you. Your dreams, strengths, and memories now live within me."

Regardless of the fact that she stared at him as if he should've understood her, he waited.

"I've given you my essence; my fundamental nature, and in turn I have yours."

Still, he waited.

"It's a gift of love that we share."

This time, Eric decided to respond. "You're speaking in riddles, lover."

"Our spirits are one. You are no longer a single being. Neither am I. Our love is eternal."

He was trying to understand her sadness but he couldn't. "I thought that is what you wanted. It is what I want. I want to be one with you. Do you regret what has taken place between us?"

"No. Don't you see? If you decide that you no longer love me, you can end our union and it would be my life's long punishment to walk this world without you. I could bestow the same punishment upon you. Don't you see? Fintan was a sneak and he was underhanded and grandmother could no longer trust him. She could no longer believe in him but she could never stop loving him. He was her fate, her destiny. He was her essence; her very heart and soul. That could happen to us, Eric."

"It won't," he said.

"Can you be sure of that?"

He turned Sookie around to face him; straddling him as he talked to her. "I've never been surer of anything in my life. I can't eat the deadliest fruit. I'm a vampire and I promise you that you will never have to walk this world without me. You've done nothing but love me and I will forever return the favor. I want you to know that nothing is going to stop me from loving you ...being with you. You have my word."

The love from within him flowed through her. She took his face into her hands and kissed him with everything that she had. Nothing was going to keep them from being together. This was right. It was perfect and just as her grandmother had told her. This was the way her life was supposed to be. He is her chosen one. This is the beginning of their love story.

"I have so much to tell you. Today, I've found out that our lives are forever changed," she said.

Eric looked love struck when she took her lips from his. He had to blink several times in order to return to the here and now. Swallowing, he said, "That was going to be one of my questions. Would you care to go out to dinner with me? I know a place where we can have a nice quiet dinner. We can talk about everything that we need to talk about without being disturbed. It's this quaint little place that I know you're going to love. It's quiet and lovely. It's a place that we can call home."

"I'd love to," she said as she kissed him again.

He nibbled at her bottom lip as he tasted her. When she began to grind against his throbbing hardness, he grabbed her bottom and pulled her in closer to him. "I'm happy," she whispered into his mouth.

"I love you," he answered. She was soon lying on her back with him on top of her; her legs wrapped around his waist. "Will you answer something for me?"

"Anything," she said as she began removing his shirt.

"Why am I awake at 4:15 in the afternoon?"

The kiss was broken as she laughed and Eric's shirt had been thrown to the floor. "I'm a faery princess, silly."

"Riddles, Sookie," he said.

"It is what I wanted. I wished it," she said. "Now, make another of my wishes come true and make love to me."

For the second time ever, a vampire was able to grant the wish of a faery.

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As they stood in the middle of their living room naked, Eric told Sookie to run upstairs and shower. "I'm going to treat you to the best dinner you've ever had in your life." He leaned down to kiss her before she could bend down to snatch her dress up from the floor.

"Run?" she asked. "I'm too tired to run." So instead, Sookie blew him a kiss as she popped herself to her room.

Eric went to his office in order to make a couple of phone calls. The first call was to _Bloody Goodness_. He ordered each of the fanciest fae oriented dishes that they had. He told them to have them delivered within the next hour. He also requested a serving and a cleanup crew since Sookie had given the help the day off. He'd cleaned up the glass and orange juice mess but there was no way he was going to cook a full course meal and wash dishes.

He had to look at the clock before he made his next call and since it was now 6:25 Eric knew that Freyda would be awake. He knew that this call was going to be an unpleasant one. Freyda reviled the word no; particularly when it was being said to her. Just as he'd predicted, she let her phone to ring at least four times before she would answer.

"Eric, darling," she purred into the phone. "To what do I owe this annoyance? Don't tell me that you've called me to tell me that you've finally taken to having your little fae bride with you at all times? I heard that you invited her to hang out with you and your friends. You've never invited me and I've known you for, what, at least six, seven centuries. When I showed up to your little gathering of nobodies, you made me feel unwanted, unloved …useless."

"It is because you are," he answered.

She laughed. "That was just plain mean. Why would you say …?"

"Let's cut to the chase, Freyda. I'm not going to help you anymore. You're going to have to go it alone. I've done enough for you and I'm not doing anything else. From now on, you're on your own."

The other end of the phone went quiet. The good-humored purring had ended. The sounds of the sarcastic remarks were covered with silence. Rage had filled her. It oozed through the phone.

"What do you mean I'm on my own? You've never left me on my own before. You've always been there when I've needed you. That's what you're supposed to do. Now, because you've got that little fae bride of yours on your arm, you think that you can abandon me? I won't let you."

Eric laughed. "_Let me_?" he asked in his calmest, sincerest and angriest voice. "First off, you don't _let_ me do anything. Secondly, I'm not going to be there for you anymore. The choices that you've made are yours and yours alone. You were wrong. I'm not going to jeopardize my marriage for you. You'll have to do this without me."

"You promised me!"

"I've never made a promise to you. I helped cover for you; unwillingly and unknowingly. I've helped keep your secrets. I've helped you enough. I won't do it anymore."

"You owe me! You can't do this to me!"

Eric's voice was as icy as ever. It was cold and cruel. "_I owe you nothing_. I've given you everything. If not for me, you'd be six feet under and nothing more than a coffin full of dust. After all that I've done for you, you should be more than grateful."

"You're supposed to help me," she begged. The rage that had once filled her body was replaced with fear. "Do you know what's going to happen to me if you don't help me? You realize that I could face the true death? You can't do that to me. You have to let me live in your state. You can't leave me here. Do you know what the Queen of Montana will do to me once she finds out what I've done? I will …"

"Suffer your just punishment," he finished.

Freyda's voice deepened. "You promised Sal."

"I promised Sookie. She comes first… even before Sal; especially before you. I want our marriage to work. She is my only priority. I'm sorry, Freyda but no more."

"Are you kidding me? Are you fucking kidding me? She never mattered to you before. Why the fuck does she matter now? I can't believe this. You're talking about saving your fucking marriage to a fucking faery instead of fucking helping me. I need you, Eric. You've always been there when I've needed you and you've never turned your back on me. Please don't do this to me. I. Will. Die. Eric."

He knew exactly what it meant for her. She'd committed an act of treason. She knew what she was doing when she did it and she knew that it was wrong. He didn't find out until later that she was involved. After he'd covered up what he'd done, it was too late for him to go back. He had to cover for Freyda too. He couldn't do it anymore; particularly after what Sookie told him today about the essence that they now share. He couldn't risk it. He wasn't going to lose his wife for the sake of Freyda. She and Sal would have to understand. Sookie is more important than either of them. They'd get over it. They had no other choice.

"You'll have to own what you've done. I'm going to tell Sookie everything."

"What about Pam? She was there. She will have to pay as well. You'd never hurt her. Think about her, Eric."

He knew that Freyda didn't care anything about him or Pam. It has always been all about her. He was angrier than he's been in a long time but the more he tried to control his temper the harder it became. He wanted to reach through the phone and kill Freyda. He wanted to snatch the very un-dead life from within her. "Pam did nothing wrong. She didn't plot to hurt anyone. She didn't kill anyone. She did as I ordered and nothing more. Pam is innocent of any wrong doing."

"Eric?" Sookie called downstairs. "Are you okay?"

Placing his hand over the mouth piece of the phone, he answered her. "Yes. I'm on a call and it's getting a little heated."

"Do you need me?"

"I do," he answered, "but I can handle the call on my own."

She giggled. "Suck up. Look, I'll be down in a few minutes, okay?"

"Take your time," he answered.

"I can't wait to tell you all about my day; my meeting and the appointment that I had this evening. It was fascinating."

"I can't wait to hear about them."

"I can't believe how happy I am," she yelled down the stairs.

The giddiness in her voice cleared the anger away. For just a second, he'd forgotten all about Freyda. "I love you."

When Eric put the phone back to his ear, Freyda was still fussing. "How cute; you love her! I don't give a shit about your love for her! I can't believe that you are planning on turning your back on me!"

Eric was fed up and tired. "I've taken enough shit off from you. Your arrogance is more than even I can stand. Talk to me like that again and I will rip your fucking tongue out of your mouth. Do you understand me?"

Freyda said nothing.

"Answer me," Eric growled. "Do you understand me?"

"Yes, master," she said.

"You are a pretentious and selfish bitch. You act as if you are impervious to any of our laws and punishments. You care about no one but yourself. I am not going to quarrel with you anymore. I've said what I have to say and that's that. You will suffer for your actions."

Freyda laughed evilly. "Fine; if that's the way it has to be then fine but I guarantee you, Eric, I will not be punished alone. You helped cover it up."

Eric knew that he wouldn't pay as dearly as Freyda would. He would have to pay some type of restitution and he was prepared for that. "So be it," he answered.

Freyda decided to try once more to get Eric to stay on her side. "Okay, Eric. Look, forgive me for the way that I've spoken to you. I'm sorry. I'm upset. I don't mean any of the mean things that I've said but you can't leave me alone like this. You just can't. I'm your child. You can't do this to me. I'm a part of you. Please, don't do this." As an afterthought, she added, "Think of Sookie."

Eric thought of Adele and the way she died. He didn't want to suffer as Fintan had because of his stupidity. He wants to keep Sookie's essence. What he wanted to keep the most is her love. There was no other choice. He had to do it. "You care nothing about Sookie or me. You're only thinking of saving your own ass. I am doing this. I did what I did because you are my child and because I owed Sal but no more, Freyda. I'm done with you."

"How could you do this to Sal?"

That was the one downfall behind Eric's decision. He hated to disappoint Sal. After all that Sal has done for him Eric felt as if he was betraying his friend but he had to do what was necessary. "As I said before, he'll understand."

"He won't forgive you. He'll hate you! He'll never forgive you! I'll never forgive you."

"If that's his way of handling my decision then I will acknowledge that. Plus," he added, "I can't wait for your just punishment. Nothing that I've ever done to you seemed to make any difference. Maybe whatever the council does to you will stick."

"They're going to kill me, Eric," she sobbed.

He thought of that and shrugged his shoulders. "Then I guess it _will_ stick."

Freyda realized that there was nothing that she could say that was going to change Eric's mind. "You would do it for Pam!"

"I would. I would do anything for Pam because she's nothing like you. If you had behaved as a proper vampire should, you wouldn't be in this predicament now."

She couldn't believe the audacity of Eric, her maker. She was so tired of him comparing her to Pam. "I'm not Pam! I'll never be Pam! I'm just as much your child as she is. So what if I'm different? That doesn't mean that you turn your back on me."

"There's nothing else to say about it, Freyda. Call Sal and tell him that I no longer need his help with the family situation. It has already been taken care of."

"He wouldn't help you now if he had to."

"Good-evening. And Freyda?"

"What?" she snapped.

"As your maker, I release you." He could hear her screaming on the other end of the phone that he couldn't do that to her. She didn't want to be free.

Just as Eric hung up the phone, he could hear the catering van as it came through the security gates. Pretty soon, there was a knock at the door. He went to the backdoor and there stood his vampire guards with the Bloody Goodness crew. No one said anything when they saw him. His vampires bowed to him as they stood outside the door and waited. Eric led the Bloody Goodness crew to the dining area and the kitchen.

As he watched them like a hawk, he thought about his upcoming talk with Sookie. He was afraid of her reaction to what he was going to tell her but it was what he had to do if their marriage was going to work. He could only hope that she would forgive him and understand why he'd done what he'd done.


	30. Chapter 30

**A Marriage of Inconvenience?**

**Thank you all so much for reading, alerting, favorite-ing, and reviewing the story. I had shorten the chapter b/c it was a little too long. Some will see this as a filler chapter and for that I apologize. The next chapter will be coming soon. It has been written but it has to be edited. I also want to say that there is one little part that I borrowed from one of my most favorite movies ever made; **_**When Harry met Sally**_**.**

**The characters don't belong to me. They belong to CH but the story is mine.**

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When Eric saw the look on Sookie's face, he was filled with pride. He'd gotten the reaction that he was looking for. The dining room looked just as he'd envisioned it; like an upscale restaurant. A white linen tablecloth covered the table. Lit candles were nestled in golden candlestick as they sat beautifully in the center of the table. There was even a little man standing to the side with a little white towel draped over his arm …doing nothing. He was just standing there staring. Waiting. Looking. Once they were seated, the staff members fawned over them as if they were the king and queen of Sweden. The waiter sauntered out of the kitchen and did as he was previously instructed. He turned to Sookie and smiled as he handed her the only menu.

"Good evening, madam. I'm Robbie and I will be your waiter for this evening." He had the same arrogant tone that all waiters in upscale restaurants have. "What will I be serving to you on this fine night, ma'am?"

Sookie was couldn't believe what she was reading. The menu was laden with meals that she would have only been able to eat in the land of Fae. She glanced at Eric over the top her menu and winked at him. There were dozens of dishes that used her most favorite spice; saffron. There were honey cakes and sweet cream butter truffles. Her brain was in turmoil. She didn't know what she wanted to order. It all looked so tasty. Since she couldn't make a decision, Sookie flipped back and forth as she read and reread the menu. Eric's chuckling interrupted her third reread.

"What's so funny?" Sookie asked as she peeked at Eric over the menu. "I would love it if you would fill me in on the joke, Mr. Northman. I like to laugh."

He sat back in his chair and crossed his leg. "I always thought that you were trying to be funny when it took you long periods of time to order your food. I didn't realize that you really are as indecisive as you appeared to be. I find it to be quite amusing that it really does take you several hours to order your meal."

"And since you've distracted me, funnyman, it will take me several more hours to make my decision." She stuck her tongue out at him and proceeded to read the menu …over again. "Okay," she finally said. "I know what I want" She looked up at Robbie and said, "If you're ready."

"Yes ma'am," he said. "I am."

"First, I would like to have the sweet _red_ tulip salad. If you don't have the red, I'll take the _pink_ but with not dressing. Not a single drop. That includes the red; if you have it" she said as she shook her head. "If there is any dressing on my salad, I will send it back. Listen carefully, okay?"

"Yes ma'am," he said. "And we do have the red."

Smiling, she said, "That's great. I'll have the red. Now, this is how it has to be done. The _red_ tulip salad should be on a separate plate; _no_ wilted leaves and no stems. The stems kill the flavor of the salad. The dressing should be placed in a _white_ bowl. That will allow me to see if there are any ingredients that don't belong. I _don't_ want just any dressing. I _have_ to have the dressing that is especially made for the tulip salad; glacial dressing, fresh. I don't want that bottled stuff. I would also like to have the pixie pears and mallow fruit with _fresh_ whipped cream but the whipped cream has to be on the side. It also has to be in a bowl. A _clear_ bowl. Okay?

The waiter nodded.

"For the drink, I'd like a tall glass of honeyed milk. Be sure and measure the honey as it should be; one part honey and three parts milk. If you add too much honey, it'll be too sweet. I don't want it to be too sweet. It'll upset my stomach. Oh, and no ice. It kills the flavor of the honey and thins out the milk. Did you get all of that?" she asked.

"Yes, ma'am, I've got it."

Sookie place the menu on the table and looked at Robbie with raised eyebrows. "If you didn't get it, I'll be more than happy to repeat it for you."

"No, ma'am," Robbie said. "You don't have to repeat it. I've got it."

Sookie had a skeptical look on her face. She wasn't too sure if he had it or not. He did not sound very sure. "I would like it if you would repeat my order."

The waiter repeated her order and he then had to reread it once more to be sure that it was correct. Eric couldn't believe it. He watched her; his face as emotionless as ever but his amusement flowed through her. Sookie was high maintenance and she didn't try to hide it. She knew what she wanted and how she wanted it.

"Is that correct?"

"Yes, it is."

The arrogant waiter then decided that Sookie's order wasn't good enough. Robbie had the audacity to think that he knew better than she did. "If you don't mind, may I make a suggestion?"

The smile that was on Sookie's face was gone. "I do mind and no you may not. You can bring me what I ordered."

Eric smirked at the waiter. The wait staff at _Bloody Goodness_ was always making suggestions. Well, they made suggestions to the patrons that weren't vampires. Normally what would happen is that the patrons would listen to the suggestions. Some of them would politely decline or others would change their orders but not Sookie. She wanted what she wanted. She'd ordered what she'd wanted and nothing was going to change her mind.

"Yes ma'am," he said. A little of the snobbish tone had left his voice. "Do you know if you'd like a main course? We have grilled tuna with orange and red pepper salsa and we have baked salmon with a creamy ranch sauce." As an afterthought, he added, "We also have gilded shrimp with saffron rice and asparagus with hollandaise sauce."

Sookie gave him a fake smile and the menu as she said, "The salad and dessert are just fine, thank you."

Though everything on the menu looked tasty and she would have loved sampling the many dishes from home, she realized that she wasn't all that hungry. The salad and the fruit were more than enough. She hadn't felt nauseated once today. No dizziness and no possible fainting spells; it was a good day.

The waiter then turned to Eric and asked, "What will your blood preference, sir?"

"Royal," Eric said as coldly as possible.

The waiter took Eric's short answer to mean that they needed nothing else from him. Once Robbie was gone, Eric asked, "We can request that they prepare you some meals for later." Putting his hands up defensively, he said, "Don't think that I'm turning into the waiter. I know that you haven't been feeling very well lately and I want to make sure that you have enough to eat."

"I'm good," Sookie replied. "After last night, I'm not sick at all. Not a bit of nausea or dizziness at all. I feel great."

Eric smirked and said, "It must have been the amazing sex …or the outstanding blood."

"Arrogant much?" she asked. He was right because that's exactly why she was feeling better. She needed the connection with and she needed his blood. After what Ludwig told her today, she understood why.

Since talking to Dr. Ludwig she had finally come to terms with what was going on with her. There's nothing wrong in their life; other than the fact that her Gran is gone. She's healthy, happy, and strong. She couldn't wait to tell Eric what was going on with her but it would have to wait. She needed to see where this Freyda issue was going to take them. Once Freyda was out in the open, they could move forward with their love story.

"You're not on what the humans call a diet are you? I hope that you don't think that I didn't notice how you hid your stomach from me last night while we were in the shower. I'm a vampire, Sookie; not an idiot."

Sookie giggled. "No, I'm not on a diet. I'd never do that. My friend Lafayette was on a diet once and he was nothing like he usually is; charming, funny, flamboyant. He was none of that. If I wasn't a fae, I'd have been afraid of him. Have you ever seen a human on a diet? They become different creatures when they restrict themselves of things that they like. They can't handle going without something." She shuddered at the very thought of becoming like that; cranky, hungry, and mean. "It's quite ugly."

Once the frightening sight and thought of Sookie being on diet has passed, Eric changed the subject matter. "How did your meeting go today? Did you get Calvin Norris everything that his people needed?"

"And then some," she answered excitedly. Her eyes were as bright as the stars. They always got like that when she talked about the good they've done and the people they've helped. He loved to see that look in her eyes. At the government meetings, when she was fighting for the rights of all supes, she was so passionate. She refused to let the skepticism of the American government keep them from getting what they deserved. She fought for what she believed in. She's never been one to shy away from a fight when it comes to the rights of others and it made her happy. When she is happy, she's not afraid to show it.

As he watched her talk, he couldn't tear his gaze away from her face. She was magical and tantalizing. Her eyes and her smile; those were the things that he loves most about her. No. Her heart and her soul; those are things that he loves most about her. She also has beautiful hair and shiny white teeth. Her skin always smelled like summertime. He loves those things about her. Yeah, that's what he loves most about her.

'_She also has the greatest sense of humor and a zest for life_,' he thought. He then decided that he didn't know what he loves most about her.

"Eric, what's going on with you?" Sookie was looking at him and laughing. She could've felt his emotions but she didn't want to do that tonight. This was a night that old secrets were going to be revealed without any help from her. She didn't want to invade him. She wanted him to share those feelings with her without fear of retaliation or misunderstanding. She wanted to listen to him with an open mind and an open heart. She wanted to decide where their marriage was going without any interference from anyone or anything; that included her.

"I've never seen so many emotions on your face before. What are you thinking?" she asked as she cocked her eyebrow.

He almost looked embarrassed. "This blood," he said as he lifted his glass. "It's delicious. I think it's the best bottled blood I've ever had."

"You haven't even tasted it yet. You're such a liar."

"What?" he asked innocently.

Sookie leaned forward and asked, "Can we get rid of the little man with the towel? He's giving me the creepies."

Eric looked at the little man and said, "You need to go. Your services are no longer needed."

The man with the little towel bowed to Eric and left the room but it didn't take too much longer for them to be interrupted once again. Robbie the waiter was soon standing by Sookie's chair. His nervous stink filled the once pleasant air. "Your drink, ma'am," he said with his smooth and less snobbish sounding voice. He placed Sookie's perfectly made honeyed milk in front of her and said, "Your meal will be ready shortly."

"Wait," she said before he could walk away. She tasted her drink and her eyes rolled to the back of her head. It was perfect. It tasted like the honeyed milk from home. "It is perfect, Robbie" she told him. "It is absolutely delicious. Please thank the maker for me."

He beamed proudly. "I'll be sure to tell Kizzie that you are pleased." Robbie walked to the kitchen with his head held high and his knees no longer weak. He couldn't wait to tell them that the beautiful yet scary woman loved the honeyed milk and that they still had a few more minutes to live.

Sookie was about to take another sip of her drink when Eric gratuitously cleared his throat. She placed the glass back on the table and waited. She knew what was coming next. They were about to have their conversation about Freyda; the big purple polka dotted elephant that was in the elegantly dressed room with them.

Eric leaned forward and rested his elbows on the table and interlaced his fingers. "I've made very few mistakes in my existence; for example, my treatment of you; believing Fintan and hiding the truth about Freyda to you."

"We don't have to talk about Fintan or any of the lies that he told you. They had an awful impact on our marriage because we didn't communicate. That's not what's going on with us now. We are working on this. We want this," Sookie replied. "We're going to make it, Eric. There's no point in you torturing yourself with that Fintan stuff anymore. I don't place all of the blame on you. It's not entirely your fault. It's done. We can't take it back. We're almost official again."

She could see that her words did nothing to ease his guilt. Sookie dropped her gaze to the perfectly folded napkin that lay in front of her. She let her fingers trace over the delicate lace before finally looking at him with sad eyes.

"You can't let your guilt destroy the progress that we've made. We can't move three steps forward and take ten steps back. There's so much that awaits us. There's so much to tell you." She took a sip of her honeyed milk and waited.

"I love you, Sookie. I can't help but feel guilty for my treatment of you. There are so many things that I've done that are unforgivable."

Sookie reached across the table and took his hand. "You're wrong. You've been forgiven. I'm not angry with you. I don't hate you. There is no reason why I can't or won't forgive you."

Eric gripped her hands in return. "Things are a bit more complicated than you realize. Let me start off by saying that I've always been partial to your family; Adele, Claudette, and even Claudine to a certain degree. Adele always told me the truth. She always made me feel welcome in her home. She believed in us. She has always said that we would do great things. She said that our union would change the supe world as we know it. I guess should've listened to her instead of Fintan, huh?" He didn't wait for an answer. "And Claudette, she is hand full of trouble but she has a heart of gold. There's nothing that she wouldn't do for you; even a stranger, even a vampire. Well, Claudine, I tolerate because of you. She hates me."

"She doesn't hate you," Sookie protested.

Eric cocked an eyebrow.

She shrugged her shoulders and decided that he was right. "She hates you."

"I want you to know that I love you and I love your family."

It felt great to know that her husband is 'partial' to her family; Adele, Claudette, and even Claudine. It sounded good but it was scaring her just the same. '_Did he do something to them?_' she wondered. She then looked into his eyes and hated that she'd even thought such a thing.

"Okay. Why do you say that things are a bit more complicated than I realize and why are you telling me how you feel about my family?" she repeated faintly.

"Freyda …"

The lovers stopped talking and they released hands when the waiter swooped in with more flare than needed. He began to place Sookie's food on the table in front of her. Eric muffled a few curse words under his breath. He didn't bother to conceal his impatience for the young man. The waiter noticed Eric's impatience and finished as quickly as he possibly could but he had to ask one more question before he left.

"Will there be anything else?"

"No!" Eric growled at him; fangs descended and his voice low and menacing. The poor man gulped and left just as quickly as he could …this time without the flare. Sookie almost thought that he was a vampire he['d moved so quickly.

"Your dinner looks fabulous," Eric said.

"It does. It has also been prepared just as I ordered," she replied as she looked down at her plate. The tulips were the deepest reds. There were no stems or wilted leaves. The glacial dressing was in a white bowl and it was as clear as it should be. It looked perfect. Returning her gaze back to Eric, she said, "It can wait though. Tell me about Freyda."

Eric looked at Sookie and decided that he'd put this off long enough. "It all goes back to family. She's a vampire and she was an important part of my existence. There's a reason why I had that party for her and there's a reason why you weren't invited."

Sookie's back was soon straight. Her blue eyes were as black as coal and her body was vibrating. Eric could almost smell the electricity as it radiated from her body. Jealousy and anger were not a good combination for a fae in love.


	31. Chapter 31

**A Marriage of Inconvenience**

**Surprise! Here is the 2****nd**** part of the too long chapter. I'd planned on getting it posted today b/c I didn't want to end the story that way and it was NOT done on purpose or to piss any of you off; contrary to some guest reviewer's belief. I didn't want it to seem that Sookie is so unreasonable that she wasn't willing to listen to him. I know that I've done that to my sweetie and when he says what he was going to say before I cut him off, I felt like the biggest meanie in the world. Thank you all for reading and reviewing. I hope that you all enjoy. **

**The characters belong to CH but the story idea belongs to me.**

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"She is an important part of your life. You threw a party for her that you didn't invite me to because she is an important part of your life. Is that what I heard? Is that what you're saying to me?"

"It's not the way you're making it sound and I did not say is. She _was_ an important part of my life but no longer. Things changed with us many, many years ago."

Sookie shrugged her shoulders and had a sarcastic look on her face. No matter how she tried to hide it, her jealousy was getting the best of her. "I guess she would have to be an important part of your life for you to throw a party in her honor; a party that you wouldn't invite me to." A sarcastic laugh escaped her. "It was a party that I didn't even find out about until I went to Las Vegas. She was obviously more important to you than I am."

Las Vegas; Andromeda was the one that told her about the party. That didn't matter at the moment.

"Don't do this," Eric said. "You said that you wanted to hear it all. You said that you wanted to make our marriage work. If that is so, then you need to listen to me. Let me explain before you make any decisions or jump to any conclusions, okay?"

Sookie nodded as she looked straight ahead and replayed the words in her mind of how much Eric loves her. That is what matters. The importance of Freyda didn't matter. That's want she kept saying to herself but it wasn't working. The idea that Freyda was anything to him angered her beyond all reason but she was determined to keep her cool. She was going to listen to whatever he had to say. She was going to be cool and logical. She was not going to jump to conclusions. She already knew that he hadn't slept with her …at least not since they've been married.

'_It's going to be okay_,' she thought. '_It's going to be just fine_. _We're going to be fine_.'

She closed her eyes and inhaled. The anger slowly, very slowly, dissipated. The electricity slowly died down. She exhaled and smiled the tightest smile that had ever been on her face. Sookie knew that she could do this. She was going to listen to him with an open mind and an open heart. Things aren't always as they seem. If anyone should know that, she should.

"Okay," Sookie said. She flicked her hand at Eric and said, "You may continue."

"As I've told you, I've never cheated on you. I've never known another woman since we've been together. I've never been with any of the fangbangers that I called into my office. When we went into the office, we were only placing orders for things that we needed for the club. I would glamor them before they left my office. They didn't know whether or not anything had happened. They were just happy to have been allowed to share the same space with me."

Though she didn't want to, Sookie laughed and rolled her eyes. She couldn't believe how conceited and arrogant Eric is.

Eric ignored her and continued on with his confession. "And I've never been with Freyda. She has never been my lover; not even when she was human. We've never had that type of relationship. She and I didn't have the same type of relationship as Pam and I had. Freyda is my child, Sookie, and nothing more. I made her vampire centuries ago; long before I made Pam."

Sookie had soon filled the dining room with laughter and shimmer. She laughed so much that her side began to hurt. When she was finally able to compose herself, she looked at Eric and wiped tears of happiness and laughter from her face.

"Is that all? She's your child and you're ashamed of her …is that it? Are you ashamed of her? You scared the shimmer out of me. I thought that you were going to tell me that she was your wife or that your maker had promised you to her. If you ever scare me like this again, I'm going to beat the shit out of you. Don't you ever scare me like that again."

It put him a little more at ease that Sookie was no longer on edge but now he had to think about what she'd asked him. Eric thought long and hard about whether or not he was ashamed of Freyda. She was once an excellent vampire; very obedient, smart beyond her years, and she was strong. She made him proud. That is until she …

"What's wrong with her?"

"There was nothing wrong with her… in the beginning. At one time, I was proud to have been her maker but now, she has shamed me," Eric said. "So the answer to your question is yes, I am ashamed of her and what she's become. As her maker, some of the things that I've done for her, I was supposed to do. One thing in particular that I've done for her was done without my prior knowledge. Over the past couple of years, I've convinced myself that I owed her because she is of my blood. I was wrong. That's one of the major downfalls when it comes to being a maker."

His sudden sadness made her wonder what it means to become a maker. What makes a vampire feel so obligated to their makers and their children? Is it because of the blood bond? Is it because it's their blood and they are protecting that blood?

"How does that work? When you make someone your child, how does that work? What does it mean?"

"It means that we are one with another being."

Eric was pleased to hear that Sookie wanted to know what went into choosing a human as your child. She'd never shown interest before. "When a vampire chooses a human to be their offspring, some of us are very particular. We will watch said human for a short time to be sure that we're not making a mistake. We can't just turn anyone," he said. "They can't be serial killers or crazies. Their evilness and mental issues would carry over and in some instances there are makers that have to kill their children because of their extreme violent nature. We've seen that happen and it's not a pretty sight. We have to be careful in our choices."

Sookie had always heard that vampires would just take a human because they wanted them and that was that. They would turn them without as much as a second thought. Well, that's what Claudine always told her.

"If I understand you correctly, you're saying that you stalk them. Is that the same as hunting them as a lion would their prey? What do you look for in the human?" She stabbed her fork into her salad as she waited for him to explain. He chuckled when she dipped the tulip bloom into the dressing.

"You can say that we stalk them but that's not really what we do. We watch them. You have to understand, Sookie that we _have_ to watch. We have to see if they have what we're looking for."

With a mouthful of salad, she asked, "What are you looking for?"

"We look for signs for life."

Sookie looked confused. "They're all alive when you choose them. You can't turn someone that's already dead, right? They have to have a heartbeat, brain activity." She stabbed and dipped once more.

"What I mean is that we look for humans that love life. They don't fear the day to day. They welcome the unknown. They're adventurous and their zest for life is contagious." Eric looked thoughtfully for a minute before he spoke again. "I think that's what most vampires look for; life. Don't get me wrong. We love who and what we are but we have this need for life. Isn't it ironic? We follow our potential child because we are drawn to their life force and then we drain them of that life force and we take it as our own. We turn them into the walking dead."

"Do all vampires look for that life force?"

Eric face suddenly turned to stone. "Not all of them. Some of them turn humans for their own pleasures; their own perversities."

Sookie placed her hand to her heart and his sorrow filled her. She could tell that he was speaking from experience. That's what happened to him. He wasn't given a choice. He was taken from his wife and children without a choice. Eric has never told her about his maker. She was always curious about him or her but she never asked. She'd heard that was a private matter and that most vampires are protective of their makers; secretive even. She'd assumed that Eric felt the same way about his maker until the sorrow was soon replaced with his hate and anger. No amount of closing off the bond kept those feelings out.

In a soft and hurt filled voice, Sookie asked, "My goodness, what did he do to you?"

She didn't want to see it but she had to. She went into his mind to see because something was pulling her towards those memories but just as soon as the face of his maker appeared, Eric shut off the memories. Sookie reached across the table to touch his hand but he jerked it away.

"I'm sorry," she stammered. "I couldn't help it. The emotions were so overpowering. They were calling to me. I couldn't help it."

"It's not meant for you. These memories belong to me and only to me. I don't want to you see," he whispered.

Her eyes filled with tears. "Tell me what he did to you."

He didn't answer. He continued on as if he didn't hear her. "Some of us look for life."

Though she never got to see who'd caused him so pain, she wanted to let him know that she was sorry. "I hate that such pain was bestowed upon you. If I could, I would take that pain away."

He gave one quick nod and said wanted to hear nothing more about it. Eric felt that she pitied him. He didn't need pity from anyone. He didn't need it then and he definitely didn't need it now.

For the first time ever, she wished that she could touch herself to make the sadness go away. Because she couldn't she looked at him for a few more minutes before she spoke again. "Are the humans supposed to be what they were before you turned them into a vampire? Is that how they're supposed to be?"

"No," he said simply. "We never expect them to remain the same but those that have a zest for life while they were a part of the living world, carry it with them. Just as when they were human, they see that nothing is out of their reach. There are no boundaries."

"I can only imagine what's going through a young vampire's mind once they realize what awaits them. The very idea of being free has to be awe-inspiring."

Eric gave Sookie a lopsided grin. "When I was free, I was that overwhelmed and young vampire. There is so much more to do and to see. Once you've been given the chance to explore your surroundings, you can't settle for the norm as you would have as a human. You naturally crave more."

Sookie pushed her now empty salad plate and bowl to the side and started on her fruit and whipped cream. "Now that the vampires no longer have to hide, they can feed from or turn any human that they want to but only if they have the humans permission. Before vampires made their existence known, was it unheard of to ask a human if you could feed them or turn them?"

"It was. I've asked only once. I asked Pam."

"Why Pam?"

"She was different. She was like no human I'd ever met. She was afraid of nothing. I found her sneaking out of her bedroom window. She was shimming down a pipe from a window outside of her bedroom window. I walked to the pipe and waited for her to jump to the ground. When she did, she turned around and looked at me. She didn't flinch. She didn't scream. She didn't bat an eye. She rolled her eyes and sighed."

Sookie filled the room with laughter. "I can see her doing that."

"The first words out of her mouth were, '_What the fuck do you want?_'"

Sookie laughed even louder.

Eric followed suit as he continued with his story. "You should've heard her. That proper English accent of hers made it sound even funnier. It was her fearlessness; that is what drew me to her. She fascinated me. She was nothing like the other proper Englishwomen in her village. She said what she thought and didn't care if anyone's feelings had been hurt in the process. She's always been like that.

"After she greeted as formally as an Englishwoman would have, she looked me up and down and shrugged her shoulders. It was as if she'd come to some sort of conclusion about me. She told me that she was going to the local pub and that she was going to grab an ale. She took my hand and led me down the narrow alleyway. The coldness, the hardness of my hand; it didn't trouble her. She squeezed my hand tighter when we reached the pub. Before we went in, she turned around and looked at me. She asked, '_What do you want to do? Do want to go inside or do you want to stay out here?_' Sookie, I looked her in her eyes and said, '_I want you to be mine_.'"

Sookie's eyes widened as she scooted to the edge of her seat. "What did she say?" She then rolled her eyes at her question and thought of how stupid it sounded. "I know what she said but did she realize what that meant? Did you tell her?"

"She smirked and said, '_I was yours when I turned around and saw you waiting on me. _I _took your hand, vampire_.'"

She flopped back in her chair and said, "She knew. How did she know?"

Eric suddenly looked over his shoulder and said, "Don't come in here. We need nothing from you. Stay in the kitchen until you are called."

Obviously whoever had made the move to coming into the dining room thought better of it and stayed where they were. Eric continued with his story.

"During the Victorian era, quite a few people believed us to be real. Some believed us to be no more than sheer imagination. We were the bogeymen that hid underneath their beds. They didn't know whether we were real or not but they still feared us. The children were warned to never go outside after dark. Women were warned to not walk through the dark allies. Men were told that they needed to travel in pairs. Needless to say, Pam didn't pay attention to the warnings. She didn't care. She told me that she'd been waiting on me. She took me behind the pub and leaned against the building. She removed her dress and stood before me naked. She wanted me to turn her. She wanted to be a creature of the night."

"She wasn't frightened?" Sookie whispered.

Eric's blue eyes were glowing. They were cold and vampiric as he relived the memories of old. They were the eyes of a killer. "Of course not," he said. "She welcomed me with open arms. She welcomed death. She wanted it. She begged for it. I gave it to her. I made her mine."

"Wow," was all that Sookie could say. She'd never heard a more fascinating story in all of her life. After this, she was even more intrigued and fascinated by Eric. Even though the story was a story of death, she fell even more in love with him. She loved the cold killer and the loving father that he'd become in death. Pam is his child and he cherishes her, respects her. Above all, he loves her. He loves his child just as much as he loves himself. It was more than obvious.

Pam has lived for many years. It's apparent that he's protected her and made her the vampire that she is today; strong, honorable, and independent. At least with Pam, he's proud. And he was proud of Freyda at one time. What she'd done must have been after she'd gone out on her own. He can't blame himself for her misdeeds. He couldn't control her every move and he shouldn't have to. She's an adult and she is responsible for herself. She's no longer daddy's responsibility.

Sookie got up from her chair and walked over to where he was. She sat on his lap and wrapped her arms around his neck.

"I think that you're a great dad," she said as she gave him a quick peck on his nose. "You did a great job with Pam. Whatever happened with Freyda is not your fault, baby. But I'm dying to know what it is that she did that was so terrible. When you told me about her, your face didn't light up as you did when you talked about Pam."

Eric possessively wrapped his arm around Sookie's waist. He didn't know how she was going to react to what she was about to hear.

"Eric, if she's a problem, we can try to make things better for her. Maybe, as a couple, we can …"

"There's no helping her, lover. She's going to have to go it alone. Whatever happens with her now is her fault. If she meets the true death, then so it is. That is her fate."

The word true death startled her. She couldn't bear the thought of Eric killing his own child. The look in his eyes was so bitter and cruel. She looked even deeper and she saw that there was no room for discussion. There was no room for Freyda. His eyes didn't only hold coldness and cruelty. They held finality. That scared her.

"She's your child. You can't do that."

"She committed a treasonous act." He sounded as if he was ordering another blood.

Sookie leaned back from Eric with her hands on his shoulders. "There's no way that what she did could possibly be that bad. Maybe we can help her. We can go …"

"No," Eric said firmly.

"What?" Sookie asked.

"No," he repeated. "I said no, Sookie. I've done enough to help her. I've been helping her out of messes for centuries and I'm done. I'm not helping her and you're not helping."

"She's your child," she said softly.

Eric placed his hands on either side of Sookie's face. "You have a capacity for love that completely boggles the mind. Of course you would want to help her; save her but you have to realize that some people and some supes aren't meant to be saved. They can't be saved. You can't save everyone, my lover. I understand that it's the only way that you know how to be but we can't and we won't help her." He kissed her lightly before continuing. "Freyda's not what you think she is. She's not some wide-eyed innocent."

Sookie didn't understand how Eric could be so cold towards someone that he'd made. "Anyone can be saved. Maybe if you'd let me meet her. If I could just talk to her, you know. Get a feel on who she is; we could possibly change …"

"No!"

Sookie jumped a little in his lap. "Eric," she whispered.

"I'm sorry for raising my voice, Sookie but you need to listen to what I have to say. You don't want to save Freyda. I didn't want to save her. If I hadn't have owed a debt, I _wouldn't_ have turned her. I would have let her die." Eric dropped his gaze to his wife's lap. He knew that what he was about to say was going to be the hardest.

"Look at me, baby," Sookie said.

When he looked at her, she saw fear in his eyes. She'd never seen such fear in his eyes. It scared her. She wrapped her arms around his neck and hugged him to her as tightly as she could and she saw what he feared. He was scared that she was going to leave him. He was afraid of suffering the same fate as Fintan. He thought that what he was about to tell her was going to keep her from loving him and being with him. He couldn't have been more wrong.

"I love you, Eric. I do love you," she said in his ear. "I'm not going anywhere. I swear to you. The contract could burn today and I would still stand at your side." She looked him in his eyes and said, "You can tell me anything and I won't leave you. I'm yours. I'm going to always be yours."

The lovers leaned in and kissed one another. When the kiss was broken, Eric didn't hesitate in saying what he had to say.

"She was the mastermind behind the assassination of Claudette."


	32. Chapter 32

**A Marriage of Inconvenience**

**I apologize for posting the 3rd part of the too long chapter so late. I had some issues at work that needed to be handled. Thank you all so much for reading and reviewing. Your support is much appreciated. I also wanted to say to the guest reviewer that Claudette is not dead. The reason she isn't dead is b/c Eric got to her just in time. Anyway, I hope that you all enjoy this chapter. **

**The main characters belong to CH but the story and the new characters are mine. **

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"My goodness," Sookie was finally able to say. She swiped a few wayward tears from her eyes. She couldn't believe what she'd just heard. A child of Eric's, that she knew absolutely nothing about, had tried to murder her most beloved cousin. He'd helped Freyda cover up what she'd done. What she didn't understand was that even though Eric had helped his child, he'd also saved Claudette's life. He'd saved her from certain death. She couldn't be angry at him for that. What she didn't like is that he didn't tell her about his murderous and obviously dangerous child.

Sookie looked deeply into Eric's eyes as she stood up from his lap. She went through the kitchen doors and walked past the _Bloody Goodness_ crew. She opened the backdoor and just as she'd expected the vampire guards were standing at their assigned posts as if they were statues; not breathing, not moving. Staring at nothing but seeing everything around them.

"Good evening, Indira and Jonathan. I hope that you both are doing well this evening," Sookie said. Eric was soon standing behind her and his hands were placed affectionately on her shoulders. He expected her to shake his hands off of her but she didn't. She remained composed and at ease. He could only think that it was because they were in the presence of others and she wasn't going to show him any disrespect. She's always been wonderful that way. Even when he mistreated her, she was elegant and as gracious as always.

"Good evening, mistress… master," the vampires said in harmony. "We are fine, thank you."

"Have both of you eaten?" Sookie always had bottled blood for the guards when they had to guard so close to the house. She always gave them Royal blood. She knew how much they liked but it was only available to the vampires of the highest standing. She felt that because they put their lives at risk for them, they at least deserved a little something extra; especially something that she knew they'd enjoy.

"Yes, ma'am," they answered.

"Well, if you decide that you want some of the Royal Blood, please don't hesitate to let us know. You are more than welcome."

"Thank you, mistress."

Sookie smiled at them before she glanced over her shoulder and asked Eric if he'd already paid the _Bloody Goodness_ staff. "We need to get them out of here." Beckoning for him to lean down, she whispered in his ear, "Are you going to glamor them before they leave? We're not sure of what they may have heard."

"Already done," he said. He pointed over his shoulder. Sookie looked behind them and she saw that the staff was leaving the kitchen in a single file line; each one of them carrying a box. She and Eric stepped out of the way and as each person left the house, they thanked them for a pleasant and delicious dinner.

"I will be sure to call your manager to let her know that the meal was outstanding and that the service was above reproach," Eric said. He had even given each of them a very nice tip.

Robbie the waiter was the last one to leave. He stopped in front of them and said, "It was a pleasure to have been able to serve you and your wife. Kizzie has also put two extra tulip salads in the refrigerator and a bottle of fresh glacial dressing. She also left some fae honey and milk for you, madam. Thank you so much for letting us serve you."

"Good evening," Sookie and Eric said as they watched them leave. When Indira and Jonathan followed the _Bloody Goodness_ crew to the company van, two more vampires took their places at the door. Together, Sookie and Eric bid them good evening as they closed the door.

When they turned to face each other, Eric looked down at her and he was all business. She could see it. She could feel it. It's the way that it's supposed to be. He didn't want Freyda to be forgiven and he didn't want her to have special treatment. Sookie began to think that from the way he was acting, he didn't want any special treatment either. He wasn't expecting it.

"We can finish this conversation in my office," Eric offered. "Or your office would be fine. Whichever one is more suitable."

"Since it is your child that has broken the law, then my office seems to be the most suitable place. I want to be comfortable while you're telling me what happened. Follow me," she said. Her back was tall and her voice was as firm and as stoic as Eric's. Then she did something that he didn't expect. She took his hand into hers as they walked down the hallway and into her office together.

Sookie's office was vast contrast of Eric's. Where his office is all leather and jewel tones, hers is cotton and french country. His office screams business and only business. Her office gives the illusion of comfort and ease. Her office was another thing that Eric's wasn't. It was misleading. She wanted them to feel comfortable. Once she had the supe or person at ease, she pounced and they never knew what hit them.

She released his hand as she closed the double doors to her office. When they were safely in her office, she asked Eric to look at her. When he did, she said, "Before we get started, I have something to say to you"

He stood tall and was ready to accept the tongue thrashing that was about to get from his beloved wife.

"You helped Claudette kill Lucian and the Weres that were helping him but you let Freyda get away with plotting the assassination of a member of the royal family. I'm not jumping to conclusions and I will only show anger towards you if it is necessary. But I do feel that she should've been killed on the spot. You know the laws, Eric. No one is to get away with plotting our murders; not even family members. No Brigant and no Northman should ever fear for their lives. You are a member of the royal family. You and I have been entrusted with enforcing the laws of our world. Do you know what this could mean for you? If the council finds out, do you realize the punishments that could await you?"

That's what scared her the most; the idea of losing her husband. Sookie had to walk away from him because her emotions were beginning to get the best of her. She quickly wiped the tears from her eyes as she turned away. She steered Eric towards the blue cotton easy chair that was placed strategically in front of her desk. After he was seated, she walked to her desk. Before sitting, she opened her desk drawer and removed a bun clip from it. Her formerly loose hair was now piled high on the top of her head. When that was done, she looked at Eric and her face was impassive. She smoothed down the back of her dress before sitting.

Eric was enthralled with her. In only a matter of minutes, she'd transformed herself from a beautiful seductress and into a straight laced, hardnosed figure of authority. She looked cruel and cold but she was feeling anything but. She was hurting and in pain.

After a lengthy silence, she looked at Eric and whispered, "Once you are done, we will decide _together_ what should be done next. You may proceed with what it is that you have to say."

Eric nodded as he began telling her what happened. "It took place while we were in Montana. We had the meeting with the Supernatural and the American government. We were trying to get the roaming laws changed for the Weres. Do you remember that?"

"Yes," she replied. "They wanted the right to continue using the national parks as their roaming grounds. They'd been using them for years; long before they made their existence known. And then boom … all of sudden the human government wanted to close it off to them." Sookie huffed and said, "The nerve of them. We showed them."

"After the meeting, you'd gone back to our room. You told me that you were tired. I could tell that something more was wrong with you but I was being an idiot and disregarded any feelings that you were feeling. Instead of checking on you myself, I sent Indira to guard the room to make sure that you would remain safe. At about that time, Clancy made a sudden appearance at the door while I was mingling with the royals. He told me that he needed to speak to me as soon as possible.

"He'd overheard some Weres talking about killing a fae and not just any fae; a member of the royal family. I unsurprisingly assumed that it was you that he was speaking of. I instantly called Pam to my side and told her to get Alcide on the phone. When I told her that it was of the utmost importance, she knew what I needed. She asked him to come to Montana and to bring a few of his pack members; the best that he had. I needed them to guard you during the day. I told him to not breathe a word of this to anyone; especially not to you. Needless to say, I had reacted too quickly and I didn't allow Clancy to finish what he had to say. When I'd gotten off of the phone, he told me that the fae that was in danger wasn't you. It was Claudette."

Sookie remembered the time that Eric was speaking of. That was when they'd first married. She wasn't sick. She wasn't tired. She wondered why Eric had changed towards her without cause or reason. She'd believed that she'd carried herself as the ideal wife. It was their second summit together and just like their, he'd taken to ignoring her. That night after their meeting, she'd invited him to dinner but he said that he had something that he needed to do. She wondered if he remembered telling her that what he needed to do didn't involve a wife. It definitely didn't involve a fae wife. So instead of spending time in the room alone, she'd gone downstairs to get something to eat. No matter how many times she'd asked Indira why she was following her, she wouldn't answer. She'd thought of sending Indira away, but she decided not to. She wanted the company. She'd never known such loneliness.

"I then called a contact in Butte and asked for the name of the local pack leader. He needed to know that there was a plot to kill a royal fae and it was being done by Weres that lived in his area and more likely than not, they were members of his pack."

"Lucian was the pack leader in Butte. He had just taken over when he moved from Los Angeles. Not everyone knew that because the induction hadn't taken place," Sookie said. "Claudette has businesses in Butte and she let him run a couple of them."

"We didn't know that until after Alcide returned my call. He'd found out that Lucian was a part of the assassination plot. I told him that I'd call him back in fifteen minutes. I immediately called Claudette but she didn't answer. That worried me. She has never been the type to ignore a phone call; even if it was from someone that she didn't care for. When I couldn't reach her, I tried calling Lucian but …" Eric shook his head.

Sookie looked down at her hands as Eric continued. Though she already knew the outcome, it was if it was brand new. She had to brace herself for what was next.

"I returned Alcide's call and asked if he'd heard anything else; if the plot had taken place, where it was to take place. He said that he wasn't sure but the one thing that he did know was that Claudette was in mortal danger. The plan had already been put into play. I know that I should've called an emergency council meeting but I couldn't risk it. It would have taken more time that we had available to us. The council members had already dispersed for the night and only the monarch remained at the gathering. We couldn't find Claudette or Lucian. I wasn't sure if she was still alive. Pam, Clancy, Alcide, and I had to make several calls before we knew where she was."

"Oh, goodness," she said.

"Alcide's guy, Charlie …"

"The shifter from Alabama?" Sookie asked.

"Yeah," Eric said. "He was the fly on the wall. He knew where they were. Lucian had planned on killing her where he'd proposed to her. That meant that they were sixty miles out from where we were. There was no time for driving so with Pam on my back, we flew to where Claudette and Lucian were supposed to be. It was a close call, Sookie, but made it. We found her."

Eric stood up from his chair and began pacing the floor. "When we found her, she was lying under a tree on a white blanket. She was alone and scarcely hanging on. Her breathing was labored. Her skin was so hot to the touch that it was blistering. Her lips were white and she'd lost most of her glow." He stopped in front of Sookie's desk and said, "I was afraid that she was going to die and Sookie, I couldn't bear the thought of having to tell you that she was gone. That was the worst part for me; you losing her."

Sookie's eyes widened from surprised. It would have never occurred to her that it would have bothered him at all to tell her bad news with the way he'd been treating her.

Once again, Eric was pacing across the room. He soon stopped in front of the picture window and stared out into the night sky. The vision of Claudette's ravaged figure filled his mind. The thought of her dying and Sookie losing her was the true driving force behind most of what he'd done. Claudette was and will always be his friend but everything that he'd done for her was because of Sookie.

"When I lifted her in my arms, tears fell from the corners of her eyes. She couldn't speak. She groaned with each step that I'd taken. I knew that I couldn't fly her to a safe haven. The air would've made her pain worse. Pam gave her some blood so that trip wouldn't be so painful for her. When that was done, Pam called a cab to pick us up. We took her to Pam's house where she was fed and taken care of. She was going to have to stay there for a couple of days until she'd healed." Eric walked back to his chair and sat down. "While she slept, I left her with Pam. I went to find Lucian but he was nowhere to be found. So I took it upon myself to visit the Weres that were a part of the plot to kill her.

"I didn't let on that I knew that anything was amiss. I told them that I needed to know where Claudette was. I led them to believe that there was a family matter that needed to be handled. They said that last they'd heard, she was leaving town." Eric shook his head as he said, "They had the audacity to say that she was supposed to be visiting home for a few days and they didn't know when she'd returned. I then asked for Lucian. He was indisposed at that time because he was getting to know the new members of his pack. They couldn't disturb him but they'd let him know that I asked for him and his beloved wife."

"They never told him and he never called you back."

"Precisely," he answered. "Well, they believed me to be gone when I'd actually hovered over their very heads. Miraculously, Lucian was no longer meeting with his new pack members. As soon as I was gone, he was standing side by side with his soon to be dead cronies. He was smiling when he told them that his _beloved_ wife was dead. That statement brought a tremendous amount of joy to my heart because we had the upper hand. We could quickly and quietly get our revenge. No one would ever have to know."

When Eric looked at Sookie, he had the coldest and deadliest look in his eyes. The rage that filled him filled her. Sookie closed her eyes and relished in it as Eric told the tale of Lucian and Claudette.

"I could have killed them all right then, Sookie, and no one would have been the wiser but I couldn't. It wasn't my kill. It wasn't my place to take vengeance when it duly belonged to Claudette. On the third night, after our final meeting with the human government, I returned to Pam's. I heard this dreadful wailing as it filled the air. When I landed, Pam was standing on the porch and she was heartbroken for the fae. She was the one that had to tell her what Lucian had done.

"I'd never seen Pam so sad. I'd assumed that it was because Claudette's lover had tried to kill her but it wasn't. It was because Claudette told her that the life within her was gone. Pam assumed that meant she was dying inside but it wasn't."

"She was pregnant," Sookie whimpered. Pam and Eric had also assumed that the screams were only for the baby when they were for everything. They were for the baby she'd lost. They were for the love that Lucian had killed within her. The screams were for the realization that her once beloved husband was going to die at the end of her sword.

"I can stop if you wish. We can pick this up later if you need time to grieve."

Sookie took a Kleenex from the box on her desk and dabbed at her eyes. The fae didn't have time for grieving. They thought of their loved one and the memories. That is what kept them going; the love and the memories. That was enough. Life goes on.

"I'm fine. There is no need to stop."

Eric nodded and did as she told him to. "That night after her screams had silenced, Pam gave Claudette a little more blood. She got a little more sleep. When she woke up, she wanted to go and hunt her prey. She was under the assumption that we would have to spend most of the night looking for them. I already knew where they were. They were standing under the tree that was supposed to be Claudette's final resting place."

"Are you serious?" Sookie asked. "He actually went back to where her body was supposed to be?"

"Yes," he answered. "When I told her where they were, she was ready to kill. She didn't want to let them get away. I tried talking her into waiting another night but she wouldn't hear of it."

"It surprises me that she waited for as long as she did. The Claudette that I know would have tried killing them regardless of her pain or you."

"It was a battle to get her to stay put but we won out. I'm not surprised at how she behaved. Stubbornness must be hereditary in your family."

Sookie rolled her eyes at Eric but didn't argue with him. She wouldn't have won that argument.

"Our stubbornness is not what's important. Do you realize what you've said?"

Eric look dumbfounded. He more than realized what he'd said to her. He was telling her what she needed to know.

"I do."

"Obviously, you don't. What you're saying is that you waited _four_ nights before you killed Lucian and his thugs. You're telling me that you had more than enough time to contact the council and tell them what had happened." Her face was still and emotionless.

"Lover, it's not what you're thinking. I didn't know that Freyda was involved until after we'd killed Lucian."

"If you'd known that she was involved before Claudette avenged the death of her unborn child and the attempt on her life, would you have still helped Freyda?"

"Not at all," he answered. There was no hesitation or pause. "Claudette needed me. She had a right to want vengeance. The council would have administered the punishment themselves. Since he'd made an attempt on her life, she had a right to fight back without repercussion or interference. Under different circumstances, I would have taken it to the council but I could not and I did not. What right would I have had to keep her from that?"

Warmth filled Sookie as she realized the loyalty in her husband's eyes. It was beautiful for her to see that he knows that his rightful place is with the royal fae family. It was even more beautiful to see the fury that lit up in his eyes as he began to talk about what he and Claudette had done.


	33. Chapter 33

**A Marriage of Inconvenience?**

**Again, I want to apologize for the delay. My job has been kicking my behind. I work with the mentally challenged and sexually abused children. One of my girls is just too much. She has been keeping me on the run. I have to find another home for her to go to because she's not good with others. It's going to be a challenge but I'm up for it.**

**Thank you all so much for reading and reviewing. Thank you for making this story one of your favorites and for the alerts. And thank you so much for sticking with me throughout this story and for enjoying the ride. The story belongs to me but the characters belong to Ms. CH. **

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Eric's eyes blazed with memory. If she didn't know any better, Sookie would have believed that he yearned to return to that special night; a night of fight, honor, and vengeance. She walked over to where he was sitting and took the chair next to his. She could've closed her eyes and the the battle would have clearly replayed in her mind but that wasn't going to be good enough. She wanted to be in the moment with him. She wanted to stand at his side and share in his joy and triumph. She wanted to be a part of that night even though she knew that she couldn't so she did the next best thing. She offered him her hand.

"May I?" she asked.

Eric took her hand and she held it firmly. She'd never seen Eric fight before and what she saw in his memories was pure glory. He is a beautiful warrior; the best fighter she's ever had the pleasure of seeing in battle. His movements were graceful, breathtaking, and glorious. His blade sliced viciously through the air before it was allowed to pierce the skin of his enemy. His hand plunged deeply into the chests of the Weres as he ripped their still beating hearts from within them. Their eyes were wide with surprise as their heartless corpses fell to the ground. There was a look of longing in Eric's eyes with each kill that he called his own. At the end of the battle, he stood tall in the moonlight as it beamed down on his face; making the blood of his enemies stand out on his pale white face.

As she watched him, Sookie assumed that as Eric looked up into the night sky that he was thinking about the victory that he and Claudette shared. She'd assumed that he was basking in his glory but she was wrong. He was thinking of her; his lover and his wife. Though she had no idea what she actually meant to him, the battle had almost nothing to do with Claudette. It was for her. His most beloved wife. She wouldn't have to suffer the loss of her most beloved cousin. She wouldn't have to know the pain of losing someone that she loves so dearly. She wouldn't have to lose him. Her husband. A husband that loves her more than he's ever loved himself. More than she could ever fathom. Once he and Claudette went to the council and told them what Lucian had planned, all would be fine. There would be no repercussions for either of them because she was fighting for her life and he, as a member of the royal family, he was defending his family. He'd done what he needed to do.

When she released his hand, she was completely lost in the moment. She jumped in his lap and began kissing Eric with such ferocity that their lips began to bleed. There's nothing that faeries likes more than a good battle and it was great but his profession of love for her was better than any battle that she could have been a party to. She wanted him more than she's ever wanted him before. When she ripped his belt from his pants, she took the belt loops and the waist band with it. His hardness was rubbing against her through his now ruined pants.

With great pleasure, he returned her kisses and relished the sweet taste of her blood. With that single drop of blood, their connection grew stronger. Their love flowed freely through one another. There was no fear. There were no lies. There was only love. Though he didn't want it to stop, Eric stopped her. It took every bit of willpower that he had. "As much as I want this and as much I want you, we must stop. There is too much for us to discuss. I have to tell you everything about Freyda." He stole one last kiss before she could move away.

She didn't want to stop but Sookie more than understood his reasons for keeping this meeting professional. She never should have let it happen but her emotions got the better of her. She stood up from Eric's lap and ran her hands over the front of her dress. With her head held high, Sookie walked back to her desk and took her seat.

"Forgive my rudeness," she said after clearing her throat. As an afterthought, she said, "I want you to know that I've never gotten that familiar with another person, supe or human, in this office before. I've always carried myself in a very proficient and professional manner."

Eric chuckled. "That's good to know," he replied.

"I have a question for you; if you don't mind," she said after she'd made that important clarification.

"There's something that I have to do first," he said as he stood up from his chair. Eric removed his now ruined pants because there was no reason for him to keep them on. They wouldn't have stayed on anyway. There was no waistband. He would have to continue the meeting in his boxers. Eric returned to his seat and waited for Sookie's question.

"Okay," he said. "Ask me."

"I don't understand how you helped her. Nothing that you've said has led me to believe that you have. How did you help her?"

"Before I killed the last Were, he pled for his life by trying to negotiate with me; which was futile. There was nothing that he could have offered me that was going to spare his life and deep down he knew that. I think that he thought that because I am Eric Northman, he had a chance. He said that he would go before the council with us to report everything that he knows about the plan to kill Claudette."

Now she was really confused. Eric had someone that would have stood with him before the council and he still killed him? Before she could ask him another question, he was talking once again.

"I told him that I need for him to answer only one question for me …why. Why would Lucian want to kill his wife? Before the Were could answer me, I could hear Lucian howling and it wasn't a victory howl. It sounded like your cousin's screams from the previous night. Claudette was standing over him; her tip of her sword was aimed at his throat. She was crying as her hand was resting on her on her stomach."

Sookie knew that at that precise moment, Claudette had told Lucian about the baby that he'd unknowingly killed; the baby that he'd always wanted was now dead because of him.

"I turned back to the Were and he was frightened. His pack master was about to die and he was determined not to meet the same fate. He told me that it was done because of a vampire. He said that Lucian's vampire lover wanted everything that the fae had and Lucian was willing to give it to her. That in itself startled me.

"The vampires and the fae have been at peace for quite some time. There was no need to argue over property or money because there was more than enough for us all; supes and humans alike. If there had been a dispute, it could have been brought before the council. The council would have handed down a decision based on the information provided and we would have enforced it. Our main goal has always been to keep the peace with the fae and the vampires."

Sookie leaned forward and rested her elbows on her desk. "We can't afford another war. Our numbers are finally climbing. Fae births are at a record high compared to what they used to be. The hybrid births are making our people stronger; our bloodline will live on for centuries to come. Why would any vampire want to jeopardize what we've built …all that we've done in order to make this new world possible? It makes no sense; especially for someone to go after Claudette. She has never had any type of infraction with any supernatural group. She's well liked amongst all races. She has always been civil with everyone including the ones that she's had to kill."

"That is until the now dead Were said that Lucian was having an affair with …"

"Freyda," Sookie finished.

Eric nodded.

"But why kill Claudette? Why would she want her dead?"

"I can only guess it was greed," he replied. "They wanted what she has. Do you realize how powerful Lucian would have been if he'd inherited her properties and her vast wealth? Freyda loves money and there's only one thing that she loves more than money."

"Power," she whispered.

"Exactly. She told Lucian that she would belong to him and only him if would get rid of the fae."

Sookie looked surprised. "What would make a powerful Were like Lucian try and kill an even more powerful fae for a vampire that has absolutely nothing to offer? She has no money. She has no power. She has nothing to offer him as a mate at all."

Cockily, Eric said, "Well, not in defense of Freyda, but we vampires are not selfish when it comes to making love and that in itself makes us excellent lovers. Her skills as a lover probably affected his very mind. Sex can be more powerful than money."

"Whatever," Sookie replied. "We, the fae, are the best lovers. We give our lovers every inch of us; our hearts and souls. And if the recipients of our hearts and souls are worthy, they get every inch of us. So, there is no other race that can compare to what we, the fae, have to offer. So don't toot your own horn buddy. You should know that what I'm saying is true, Mr. I can't sleep without you, Sookie."

Eric tried to hide the smile that was threatening to appear on his face but he failed miserably. "If that is what you want to believe, then fine. It doesn't negate the fact that Freyda wanted what Claudette has and Lucian was willing to kill her in order to give it to his lover. He wanted her so he did whatever Freyda told him to do. She came up with the plan to kill Claudette and he put the plan in motion." Eric leaned forward in his seat and said, "I can damn well guarantee that he would've been dead as soon as she'd gotten what she wanted."

"I would expect her to. She doesn't appear to be very trustworthy but you're leaving the most important parts out."

"The thing is, Sookie, I didn't realize that I was helping her until after Claudette had killed Lucian. When the were-traitor told me that it was Freyda that Lucian was sleeping with, I was too late. Claudette's sword was slicing through Lucian's neck. If she hadn't have killed him, we could have taken him, Freyda, and the now deceased Were to stand before the council. They needed to be alive, Sookie. We couldn't just take Freyda. She would've used it to her advantage."

"Does Claudette know that Freyda was involved?"

"No," he replied. "I never told her."

"Does she know what Freyda is to you?"

"No. I couldn't tell her. No harm intended, but your people have a suspicious and untrusting nature."

"You're one to talk," Sookie said.

Eric cocked an eye at Sookie.

She rolled her eyes at him.

"Anyway," he said. "She wouldn't have believed me if I'd told her that I knew nothing about it. Claudette would have believed that I'd purposely helped to cover for Freyda or that I was involved."

Sookie was mouth was opened and ready to fire. She was about to protest and say that Claudette would never have believed that but he cut her off. "Tell me that I'm wrong."

She couldn't because if their relationship wasn't on the way to being repaired, she would've thought the exact same thing.

"Although I haven't told her about Freyda, Claudette has nothing to fear. I've commanded Freyda to stay away from all of your family. She can have no one to her bidding for her. Claudette's life is no longer in danger and she is safe."

"And you trust that she won't?"

"She can't. Even after releasing her from my hold, an order that I make has to be obeyed. She has no choice."

Sookie stared at Eric for a long moment. "Tell me why you didn't kill her after you found out that she was involved. You could've killed her and no one would've been the wiser. There's no reason why she should still be occupying space. You realize that if this gets out, you will be punished …severely?! What were you thinking, Eric …letting her go?"

He expected Sookie to react in this manner. Her family member was almost killed and it was indirectly done at the hands of his child. He knew what was coming next. She was going to leave him.

"No, Eric, you don't know what's coming next and I'm not going anywhere but I am going to …"

"You read my mind," he said.

"It's your fault! You projected it at me! But so what? That doesn't matter right now. What does matter is that you should've fucking killed her! Screw the fact that she's your child. Do you realize what this could mean for you? Do you know what punishments could be in store for you …silver shackles for 200 years with no feeding…IVs inserted into your arms and silver pumping into your veins in small doses? They could rip your fangs out and you won't be able to feed for years. They'd feed you the cheapest and the nastiest blood that they can find. Do you want to be placed in a silver lined coffin draped in silver netting? Is that what you want? You've gone through this for some …some rent-a-tart. For a traitor to our family? Our lives? Are you fucking kidding me? What do you think Shiloh would do if she found out what took place in her queendom? She is supposed to take care of punishments in her state. She can request a severe punishment for you because of your part in it all."

For the second time tonight, he'd heard the same line at least four times. Sookie continued to mumble under her breath. A muffled sound escaped Eric as he moved towards Sookie. She stepped back away from him. His hand dropped to his side. She paced back and forth as she ran her hands through her now messy hair. The very thought of Eric being punished for something that Freyda had done was a stab to her heart. They were starting over and now it could be over because of his fucking offspring.

"I can't believe that I felt pity for her when you said that she was going to meet the true death! She should meet the true death at least ten times!" She exclaimed as she threw her arms in the air. "Why is she still alive, Eric? What am I missing?"

"Because of Sal," he said. His voice was filled with acrimony. "It's only because of Sal."

Sookie stood in front of Eric and asked, "What about Sal? Tell me why Freyda and Sal are so much more important than you are. Tell me why they are so much more important than your freedom and your life. You are my husband, Eric and I …."

It was breaking her heart to even imagine that Eric would be punished for his part in what Freyda had done. And now to find out that his good friend Sal is involved, has terrified her even more. Sal is old. He is extremely old.

"I owe him, Sookie. Sal saved me from certain death. My maker was cruel and he was cruel for sport. He turned me, tortured me, raped me, and abandoned me. I didn't know how to be a vampire. I wasn't taught to be a vampire. I didn't know how to hunt. I didn't know how to survive. With the way that my maker abandoned me, I was a threat to our very existence."

A look of regret appeared on Eric's face. "Sadly, I've killed a lot of innocents; men, women, and children alike. I never purposely killed anyone unless I had to but when it came to feeding, I didn't know when to stop. My maker taught me to do nothing but kill. He was pure evil. He was the only being that has ever placed fear in me. He was vicious and cruel. He took pleasure in other peoples' pain and despair."

Eric's hands were white fists as he thought of the vampire that had almost succeeded in destroying him. For just a moment, she could feel his fear as it filled her body. It was the fear that his maker had instilled in him; even speaking about his maker, chilled Eric to the bone.

'_He's more human than I ever thought he could be,_' she thought.

And from the look in his eyes, he had more to say about his maker. Sookie waited with baited breath.

"His name was Appius Livius Ocella. In all of my thousand plus years, I've never met a colder or more sadistic vampire. His eyes were cold and dead." Eric looked as if he was staring at his maker as he talked about him. "He was scarred from many years at battle; strong and evil. He didn't think that teaching me to feed without killing was important. He said that humans were no more than food to us; useless." He chuckled. "Ignorant beyond reproach, he'd say. Feed from them and leave then where they fall. He'd make me heal the bite marks and then walk away."

_I could kill him. _

"Where is this …Appius?"

A look of pleasure danced in his eyes. "That brings me back to Freyda and Sal. As I said before, Sal saved me. He gave me a home and he taught me what it means to be a vampire. Because of Sal, I am the vampire that stands before you. I have my faults and I do have moments of weakness that I regret. I more than wish that I could take it all back. "

Sookie knew that he was talking about the problem with Fintan.

"I have honor and dignity. I am strong and I am a fighter," he proclaimed proudly.

It made Sookie smile and it made her feel good that Eric is proud of who and what he is. It made her even prouder to know that he was ashamed of the vampire that he used to be and that the obstacles that he had to overcome haven't come to define him. He turned his disadvantages into advantages and strengths. Her heart swelled with pride and love as she realized that she'd made the right choice when she chose him. Though she fought within herself over and over again, she knew deep down that she was never going to leave him. He is the one that she was meant to mate with and to love. She now knew for sure that what lies before them was meant to be.

Eric closed his eyes and inhaled the sweet scent of faery as it filled the air. His fangs dropped slowly into place. "You are distracting me, my lover."

Sookie squeezed her legs together as she shifted in her seat. She swallowed deeply. "Forgive me," she said in a husky voice. "You may proceed."

This was going to be a long night.


	34. Chapter 34

**A Marriage of Inconvenience?**

**This is the last chapter of their talk. I told you that the chapter was very long. I didn't expect to have to break it up into four chapters but at least it's done. There's still a little more for them to talk over but at least the Freyda issue is over. After this chapter we can move on and at a steadier and easier pace. Thank you all so much for sticking with me and enjoying the story. I will post another chapter this week. I'm on a mind rest from work. **

**I hope that you all enjoy. And as usual, thank you for your time, favorites, alerts, and your reviews. The story is mine but the main characters belong to CH.**

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"Sal was a different type of vampire. He wasn't like the rest of us. Where we wanted to remain hidden from the world, he wanted to be known. He didn't like the idea of spending his life hiding in the shadows. He didn't think that it was fair for any of us. Sal felt that since we'd contributed just as much as the humans have to this world there was no way that we should be content with being seen as the boogeyman. He wanted certain humans to know that we existed; that _he_ existed; government officials, political figures, ordinary, everyday humans that he could benefit from. There was one human in particular that he wasn't willing to hide from. That human was Freyda Vanderheusen; his German lover.

"When it came to Freyda, as far as Salvatore Diamaggio was concerned, the sun rose and set on her. She could do no wrong. When he introduced us, I could see her for what she was; sneaky and untrustworthy. Anyone not blinded by her beauty could see the hatefulness and the deceit in her soul."

When Sookie looked at Eric's face, it showed his distaste for the human Freyda but in his earlier description of her, he didn't seem to mind the vampire Freyda all that much. She couldn't wait to find out what changed his views of her.

"As a vampire, you said that at one time she made you proud but as a human, you show nothing but distaste and hate for her. Was she that evil …that untrustworthy?"

Eric's answer was as simple as he could put it. "She was like no human I'd ever known. She didn't know fear. She didn't know regret. There was nothing in the human world that could stop her. Her traits as a human would've been admirable if she was a vampire but she wasn't and because of that, she was dangerous to anyone; especially to our kind, to Sal."

"How long did he know her before he told her what he is?" Sookie asked.

Eric shook his head. "I don't know. They were together when he found me. He met in her in a small German town when she was the tender age of 22. He saw her walking along the streets of Baden-Württemberg one cold November night and he knew instantly that he wanted her." He then paused. "It was easy to see why he wanted her. She was pleasing to the eye; creamy white skin, beautiful red hair, and figure that most men would have enjoyed. But those eyes, Sookie; those eyes were the most beautiful shade of green I'd ever seen but they held nothing. No life, no love, nothing …they held nothing."

Sookie was so intrigued with Eric's story that she no longer looked like an authority figure. She looked like she was the wife of a vampire and she was enjoying the story of the people that at one time held an important part in his life. She was no longer sitting at her desk but on it.

"Once you looked into her eyes, you could no longer see her beauty. They were cold and they were as dead any vampire's eyes I'd ever seen. Sal couldn't see what I saw. There was more than her beauty that drew him to her. It was her companionship; her willingness to be with him. I could be wrong and I very seriously doubt that I am, but I believe that he wanted her because he was lonely. His loneliness wouldn't allow him to see her for what she was."

She could see that. Sookie could see why Sal was so willing to see something in Freyda that wasn't really there. She couldn't begin to imagine the lonely life that he'd led for so many centuries before meeting her. And for the first time, Sookie began to wonder about Eric's life and how lonely he must have been before meeting her. She looked into his eyes and she saw centuries of loneliness. He'd outlived his entire family; his wife, his children, his siblings, and his parents. Whatever friends he may have had, were long gone. What did he do for love … for companionship?

It saddened her to know that if he did meet someone before the vampires made themselves known to the public that he had to glamor any recognition of himself from the lady's mind. He could readily remember her, the time that they'd spent together, a simple touch of her hand but she would never have the pleasure of remembering him. Sookie continued to pity Eric's and Sal's life of loneliness as he talked of his past.

"I tried to warn him. I tried telling him that she wasn't what she appeared to be but he wouldn't listen to me. He was so enthralled with her that he couldn't see it. No amount of warning was going to change his mind about her. It was too late for warnings anyway. He'd already given her his blood. He'd bonded himself to her and that was that."

Her mouth fell open from surprise. "You mean to tell me that he'd bonded himself to a human before you all made yourselves known? And she wasn't afraid of that …of him knowing what she was doing at all times? She didn't mind that he could feel her every emotion?"

"Not in the least," he answered. "She knew what he was and it didn't bother her. When he explained to her what it meant to be bonded to a vampire, she was more than happy to be connected to him. That was the one thing that he told me to never do. He said to never bond with a human or any other species. Sal said that it would make us obligated to them. He said that their feelings would almost overshadow our own. He'd done exactly what he said to never do. When he did it, I knew then that he was gone. She had him wrapped around her little finger. The rule that he'd broken? He told her that he was in love with her. He'd fallen in love with a human."

Sookie's back straightened when Eric's voice filled with aversion at the very idea of Sal falling in love with a human. Sookie was affronted by how Eric said that Sal was in love with a human.

"What's so wrong with that? Maybe he didn't want to fritter away the rest of his existence alone. You make it sound like the most horrible thing in the world; falling in love and with a human for goodness sakes. You sound as if he should've been staked for even giving it a thought. At least he was giving it a real chance."

"Sookie …"

"I'm sorry," she said. "You make it sound as if love is a punishment of some sort but it's not all that bad. That's all I wanted to say and I won't say anything else about it. Just go on. I'm all ears."

Eric sighed and continued. "She was everything that he could have wanted in a human lover. She would let him feed from her whenever he wanted. She would let him fuck her anytime and any way that he wanted. She did anything that Sal wanted her to do. She was his ideal mate. He'd never expected in all of his existence to find a woman like that."

"You didn't trust it."

"No, I did not," he answered. "She was the beginning of the end for Sal. There was no talking to him. There was no reasoning with him. It was as if no matter what I had to say to him, it wouldn't have made a difference. He was in _love_ in with her."

The way Eric kept saying the word love was really pissing her off. He acted as if it was a bad thing that a vampire fell in love but it wasn't and it's not. Love is a wonderful and an amazing thing. It's the most important thing. Love holds onto a person at the very beginning of life. It's one's comfort as the years go by and when they come to an end. It makes the heartbeat and the soul happy. Love is everything. She wanted to scream those words in his face but she decided not to say anything about it.

"If you thought that she was this dreadful human that wasn't worthy of love, then please tell me why you turned her."

"In the simplest terms?" Eric asked.

"Yes," Sookie answered.

"I didn't do it for her. I did it for the vampire that saved me."

Smirking and in a condescending voice, Sookie asked, "So, you did it for the love of Sal? You loved him enough to turn his human lover for him."

Eric's body stiffened. "I did it for a friend. I owed him."

"Because you love him," Sookie stated.

Eric ignored her statement. "I did it because Sal is the reason that I'm free of my maker. He found Appius. Sal was going to kill him for me. He was older and stronger than Appius and he could've easily killed him in a one on one battle and that's what he was going to do but it did not come to pass. Not because he feared losing to Appius but because Freyda talked him out of it."

"How?" Sookie asked with her eyes as wide as her mouth.

"She wanted to help him. She talked him into capturing Appius and torturing him. She said that it would be poetic justice for the cruel and sadistic things he'd done to me."

Sookie was surprised that Freyda knew what Eric's maker had done to him. Surely, Eric didn't share that with her; a human. A human that didn't deserve the love of a vampire certainly didn't deserve the right to know what Eric had suffered through at the hands of his maker. Something like that would be too personal to share with someone like Freyda.

Reading the surprised expression on Sookie's face, Eric answered her unasked question. "As I said before, Sal told her everything. I don't know what she did or how she did it but she convinced Sal to let her help him. It pleased him that she wanted to stand at his side and fight with him. I felt that there was more to it than that. I wanted to tell him but I held my tongue. He was doing for me what I could not."

The look of helplessness that filled Eric's eyes as he talked about his maker made Sookie pity him. She knew that he hated his maker and that he wanted to truly be free but to know that his maker was going to meet the true death; it had to have made him feel some type of emotion …sadness, regret. Sookie looked down at her hands before asking Eric the next question. She didn't want to upset him but she needed to know what he felt when he knew what Sal had planned for Appius.

"Did it bother you that he was going to kill your maker …the very vampire that had given you eternal life? How did that make you feel? Did you feel that a part of your being was dying? Even after all that he'd done to you, there had to have been some type of attachment to him. There had to have been some part of you that wanted to warn him …to protect him."

Eric stared out into nothing and said, "No part of me wanted to warn or protect him. I felt nothing when Sal told me of his plan." He paused and added, "I take that back. I did feel something. What I felt was relief. It felt good to know that I would no longer have to fear him coming for me or calling me to him; not that he ever did. It just felt good to know that I would finally be free of his very existence."

Whispering, Sookie asked, "Have you ever wanted those bad memories of him to go away?"

He needed only to ask and she would give him what he wanted. The memories of the torture and the rape would be gone. The memories of ever knowing that Appius existed would no longer plague him. Though it would be a life altering wish, if he wanted it, she would grant it for him. She would not judge him. She would understand his need to forget.

"No," Eric said instantly. "I would never want that. I wouldn't be the vampire that you fell in love with. No, my lover, I wouldn't change a thing. Those memories are a part of me. Without them, I wouldn't _be_ me."

She closed her eyes and sighed with relief. She'd made the right choice. He is a man of honor, dignity, and self-respect. He is a man of mistakes and he wants to make things right with her. She was confident that she was right. She placed her hand on her stomach and sighed.

"Tell me what happened next."

Crossing his legs, Eric sat back in his chair and said, "The next morning, Freyda went to Appius' house. She played the role of the new maid. She made it into the house because she was able to show the butler that she was a donor for a vampire. Sal left bite marks on her inner thigh. After being in the house for a couple of hours, Freyda made her move. She and Sal already knew the layout of the house and where Appius slept."

"How did she …"

"She had some of her male friends waiting on the outside. She didn't tell him that they were killing a vampire. They were only supposed to kill the staff; which they did. She told them that they were robbing a very wealthy man. They were marauders and murderers. They were more than happy to help her. They came in and killed the servants. She paid them with the money that Sal had given her and they were allowed to take what they wanted. While they robbed the house of its riches, she went to Appius' sleeping quarters. His coffin was sitting on the far side of the room. From her bag, Freyda removed two silver nettings from it and draped them over her body and walked to where he was resting."

"Why silver netting?" Sookie asked.

"Older vampires don't need as much sleep. If he'd woken up, he could've attacked her. She took the necessary precautions. As soon as the coffin was open, she threw them on his body. He couldn't move. She took more silver netting from her bag and put them on him. She closed the coffin, put more netting over her body and waited for Sal to rise."

Sookie's eyes widened once again. "You mean to tell me that she stayed there and waited with an angry and ancient vampire that she'd silvered?"

Eric nodded. "She sat on top of the coffin."

"Oh my," Sookie gasped.

"The rest is history," Eric stated. "Sal tortured Appius for centuries for what he'd done to me. I expect him to do that and I told him as much. He'd already given me more than I could have ever asked for. The teachings and the life that he'd given me were more than enough. He didn't agree. Sal said that those weren't gifts. They were life lessons; free of charge. At the time, he said that I owed him nothing. Sal watched Appius as he writhed in pain and said that the torture of my maker wasn't just for me. It was for him as well. _'I hate a coward,'_ he said."

Sookie went over everything that Eric had told her. She thought of how cruel Eric's maker was to him; the torture, the enslavement, the abandonment …the rape. She thought of how Sal saved him and how Freyda came to be a part of his life. Then it came to her. She knew why Eric had turned Freyda.

"She died, didn't she? That's why you turned her. Sal wasn't around and he couldn't save her so you did it for him."

Eric closed his eyes and released a sigh from his weary and tired body. He felt free for the first time since this entire thing with Freyda happened. He no longer had to carry the burden of what she'd done. He no longer had to keep secrets from his wife. He was free once again.

"Why did you have to do it? Why couldn't Sal turn her?"

"The same men that killed Appius' daytime help are the same ones that almost killed her and tried to kill Sal. They came there to rob just as they'd done before. They plunged silver stakes into his hands, arms, legs, and feet as he slept. They beat and raped her because she knew who they were. They stabbed her repeatedly. I got there in time to save them.

"I went to Sal first. I freed him and he didn't ask me to find him a human so that he could feed. He crawled across the floor to Freyda and lay by her side. He lifted her head and rested it in his arms. He looked at her bloody and beaten face. Her heartbeat was faint and it was fading. She looked at him with pleading eyes. She placed her bloody fingers to his face and tears fell from her eyes. He didn't have the blood to turn her. For the first time ever, he couldn't give her what she wanted. He asked me to do it."

"You did it because he loves her."

Eric nodded. "I did it for my friend."

"What happened to the men that did that to them?" Sookie asked.

"I tracked them down and killed them."

"You haven't given me any reason why you hated her before she was made vampire. All you've said is that you could see the coldness and the blackness in her eyes. She did nothing to you as a human other than help kill your maker. Even after what she'd done for you, you didn't want to turn her?"

"I think that she had something to do with what happened the night Sal was attacked. I will go to my grave believing that she was the reason they found him. They knew where he'd hidden his treasures. They knew where he went to rest. They knew what he was. No one knew where he slept; no one but me and Freyda. How else would they know to bring silver with them? After I'd turned her, I told Sal that I was going to command her to tell if she was involved and if she was I was going to kill her. Sookie, I'd never seen such sorrow and sadness in his eyes before. He begged me not to ask her …not to do it. He said that he didn't need to know and neither did I."

"Are they still together?"

"They see each other every from time to time but it's not like it was when she was a human. Sal plays the role that he doesn't love her. He pretends that he's over her but I know the truth. I can see it."

"Earlier you said that you didn't like her as a human but she was an excellent vampire. What changed about her?"

"She took to the life like a duck to water. Her traits as a human helped her to be a great vampire. It was as if she was meant to be a vampire. In the beginning, she was obedient and honorable. She was respectful. She made me proud. She never killed unnecessarily. She was the ideal child. When I released her the first time, I felt secure in knowing that I would have no reason to worry over her."

"What made her change?"

"No boundaries, too much freedom," Eric answered simply.

Sookie was now going to ask the $50,000,000.00 question. "And the party? Why did you throw a party for her?"

"It was so that I could show that I was standing with her. She can no longer stay in Montana. She's not very well liked amongst our kind. Shiloh doesn't care for her and wanted her gone. She was going to go to council to request that she never step foot in her state again."

"What did she …?"

Eric cut her off with a wave of his hand. "I didn't ask but I know that once Shiloh finds out what's taken place in her state, she will want restitution from me and my child."

"She's not going to find out," Sookie said as she looked at Eric through hooded eyes.

"We can't …"

Sookie, too, raised her hand in the stop motion as she got down from the desk and walked over to Eric. She stood in front of him and offered him her hand. When he took it and stood with her, she asked, "What took you so long to tell me?"

He looked down at Sookie and said, "Because she's my child. The council members wouldn't believe me for that reason. You wouldn't have believed me because of what she'd done to your cousin and for my treatment of you. There was no proof that she wanted Claudette dead. Freyda could say that Claudette killed Lucian because he was sleeping with a vampire. She could say that I killed the other Weres because they were witnesses to what happened. I was protecting my wife's family.

"Since the murders took place in Montana, I should've gone to Shiloh instead of handling things myself. She wouldn't have minded Claudette's act of vengeance but Shiloh likes to handle her own punishments. Even though we're the representatives for all supes, we have no right to go into their states and hand down punishments unless the council orders. I was wrong. For those reasons, I couldn't have you involved. I will not see you punished for the wrong that we've done."

That was the downfall to their position. They had the power to assist in making the laws but they had no rights when it came to punishing rogue vampires in other states.

"We need to see about changing that law," Sookie said.

Eric filled the office with laughter. After all that he'd said to her, her only concern was changing the laws so that they could punish across state lines.

"You amaze me," Eric said.

She fanned off his words and began pacing back and forth. Sookie didn't blame Eric for what Freyda had done. She didn't blame Sal. She blamed Lucian and Freyda. There was only one option that she and Eric had. She stopped pacing and stood in front of Eric.

"Lucian never loved Claudette," Sookie said mostly to herself. "He only wanted what she had." She looked into Eric's eyes and said, "I wish that you had told me about this sooner but I can see why you didn't. We can handle this."

Cupping her face with his hands, Eric said, "My lover, I know what has to be done in order to handle this. _We_ won't handle this. This is my problem. I have to go before the council and do what I should've done long ago."

Sookie giggled as she cupped his face with her hands. "Oh, my silly, silly vampire," she said. "That's not going to happen at all. The progress we've made in our marriage; we're not going to throw it away on the likes of Freyda. No my dearest love; you're not going to tell anyone. You will not suffer for the wrongdoings of another. That's a price that she will have to pay on her own."

The gleam in her eyes told him what she meant but Eric wanted to hear her say it. He pulled Sookie into his arms and close to his body. He noticed that her heartbeat was stronger and louder than ever before. Her glow had never been a bright as it was at that very moment. Her life was at full force and it was pulling him in and he willingly let it.

"What do you propose my lover?"

She began to kiss him lightly. "I propose that we keep it quiet and together, you and I will handle it." She licked his lips before she said, "Shhh."

Eric kissed her as if it would be the last time. As he nuzzled her lips, he asked, "Does this mean that you love me?"

Sookie shrugged her shoulders and said, "Maybe."

"Are you mine again?"

"I've always been yours," she said.

"I'm not adverse to love. I just never truly knew it until you."

"If you think that I'm going to fall at your feet because you said that, you've got another thing coming."

"Say it," he said.

"Are you sure that you can handle it?"

Eric swallowed and nodded. He couldn't wait to handle it. He couldn't wait to hear her say it. It had been awhile since he'd heard her say it.

Sookie wanted to say it but now was not the time. She had other plans. She placed her fingers in the waistband of his boxers. "Let me show you how much better at making love the fae are."


	35. Chapter 35

**A Marriage of Inconvenience?**

**Thank y'all so much for the favorites, reviews, and alerts. Y'all are the absolute best. I hope that you enjoy the story. The story idea is mine but the characters belong to CH. **

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"My silly, silly vampire," Sookie muttered sweetly as she reached for Eric.

She'd awaken to the luminous morning light streaming into her bedroom window that is when she realized that she wasn't in their bedroom. Much to her dismay, she was still in the guest room. Eric had left her in there instead of carrying her into the room with him after they'd made love. He'd even opened the draperies for her so that the sun would awaken her instead of the sounds of an alarm clock. It was all so sweet but it wasn't good enough. She wanted him. She wanted to be laying in the bed next to her silly, silly vampire. The sensation of waking up without him gave her an anxious feeling. Since she'd accepted and learned what's going on with her, it's harder for her to be away from him. Before she was sure of the changes that she was going through, she didn't want to be away from him but now, it's gotten worse; especially since they've been sharing blood. Dr. Ludwig said that being away from Eric is one of the side effects of her changes. She needed him and she needed his blood. That's why there was no he was going to go to the council and tell them what happened. She and Eric wouldn't make it if he …

No; she wasn't going to go there. She wasn't going to think such nonsense because nothing was going to happen. Freyda was not going to win this battle. The council was not going to find out that Eric was involved with the killing of Lucian and his henchmen and they weren't going to find out about Claudette's part in it either. The council is there to make and pass the laws of the supernatural world. If one of their own broke those rules, they were to be punished; regardless of who they were or what their status is in the supernatural community. They wouldn't understand. Sookie knew for certain that they wouldn't have.

She fully understood why Eric didn't tell her or Claudette what Freyda is to him. Claudette wouldn't have been accepting and neither would she but there was no need in worrying about what could happen to them because nothing was going to happen. There was no way that Sookie was going to let Freyda skate by without being punished. She was going to suffer for her actions; not Eric and not Claudette. Only one thing worried Sookie and that was her cousin's reaction to learning that Lucian was cheating on her. How was Claudette going to react to the fact that her husband's mistress was behind the plan to kill her and that the mistress is the child of her cousin's husband? Not good. That's how.

Claudette isn't the type that's going to sit back and let Freyda walk free. She isn't the type to approach the council for permission to do exact revenge on her enemy. If she could, Claudette was going to go for Freyda with everything that she had. And that was the next problem for Sookie. She wasn't sure if she should tell Claudette about Freyda. If Claudette went after her and killed her, she would be punished by the council members. There is no proof that Lucian and Freyda were involved in plotting to kill her. There is no one that can speak on why she would have killed Freyda. Eric can't do it. They'll have to tell the council about the killing of Lucian and his pack members. There's no written proof. There are no pictures. There is nothing to support her claims of possible justified murder. Punishment would be a definite fate for them both.

Sookie's heart dropped to her feet. Hypocrisy is a very ugly thing. She hated the thought of Eric hiding secrets from her and now she was contemplating hiding a devastating secret from her most beloved cousin. It is the most sickening feeling she's known. She wasn't sure of what she should do. Should she tell Claudette what Eric told her about Freyda? Should she help Claudette kill Freyda and not tell Eric? Should she kill Freyda all on her own and never tell anyone? Or should she keep quiet and never mention any of what she learned to Claudette; even after Freyda is dead?

As she pondered her choices, her cell phone began to ring. She closed her eyes and winced.

"Hey, Claudette," Sookie said.

"That's what I hate about cell phones and caller ID as a whole. You can't surprise anyone anymore. I'll bet that my picture pops up each time I call," Claudette said as she mumbled under her breath.

Sookie giggled. "It does and it's the worst picture that you've ever taken. You're sleeping and slob is dribbling from the corner of your mouth. And by the by young lady, you couldn't surprise me if you wanted to. You suck at surprises."

"I accept your challenge, my friend. If I surprise you, you owe me a gift. Deal?"

"Deal."

"I was going to call you anyway but you are really bothering me. What's going on with you this morning? I could feel you all around me. Are you alright?"

"Oh, I'm great," Sookie said a little too quickly. "I was thinking of how much I love you and Cissy. That's all. No big deal."

"Okay," Claudette replied. "If that's your lie and you're sticking to it, then okey dokey. You're up quite early this morning. Did that vampire of yours give you a mediocre banging last night? You're supposed to be exhausted and sleeping. If you're up this early, I'll bet that sparks didn't even light up the entire bedroom."

Sookie rolled her eyes. "Don't be so vulgar and he didn't bang me. For the second time since we've been married, we made love."

"And unicorns shit out rainbows and popsicles," Claudette retorted. "You guys fucked. The day after a couple makes up, you make love. Almost everything else after the makeup session is considered fucking. You should know that."

"Cici, please," Sookie begged. "Why did you call me? I know you didn't call me to ask about the sex life of Eric and Sookie Northman."

"So you're a Northman again? Pretty cool. Are you drinking from him again? You need to be."

"Claudette."

"Okay, chill out. Do you want to go shopping with me this morning?" Clearing her throat, she added, "I have a date tonight so I've decided that a new pair of shoes would complete my fabulous new outfit."

Sookie stood up quickly from the bed and she soon regretted it. Her head began to swim. She had to compose herself before responding to her cousin's surprising news.

"Challenge completed," Claudette gloated. "You can pay for my shoes."

"Whatever. Do you really have a date?" Sookie finally asked. "A real, honest to goodness date?"

"Yep and you owe me shoes."

Sookie could almost see her cousin's smile. "With who?"

"I'd rather not say because if it doesn't work out, I don't want to have to explain what happened to us; especially not to Cissy. You know how she is. So at this point, the name of the being is of no consequence."

"Understandable," Sookie agreed. "Is this a blind date?"

"No," Claudette answered. "It's our third date."

"Bullshit!" Sookie exclaimed.

"Surprised you again? I think I want a pair of shoes _and_ a dress."

"Are you kidding me? We've been on a vacation _together_ and _you_ didn't mention this person to _me_ at all. You didn't say one word. You're dating someone new and you didn't tell me!? I can understand you not telling Cissy but you didn't tell me?! I can't believe that you didn't tell _me_! We share _everything_ …or so I thought."

She then thought about Freyda. For now, she wasn't too sure if they _should_ share everything. Maybe some things needed to be kept private for all that are involved. It'll keep them all safe; especially Claudette.

"Well, I guess it's okay if you keep it quiet …for just a little while. I understand that some things needed to be left unsaid. I get it and I forgive you."

"That's all I've ever needed," Claudette said mockingly.

"Smart ass," Sookie responded. "Do you like this being …this person?"

"I do," she gushed. "I really do."

"Male or female?" Sookie asked.

"Does it matter?"

"No; I am just curious. How long have you known …him or her?"

"For awhile, I guess. We met in passing and we went to lunch. We spent the day talking to each other. The rest is history and it's been good. We talk on the phone. We email each other. We text each other. We do everything that people in relationships do."

A broad smile spread across Sookie's face. "So this is a relationship?"

Claudette paused before answering. Her demeanor suddenly changed. "I guess it is."

"What's their name?"

"None of your business."

"I'm confused."

"About what?"

"About it not working out. You two spent an entire day together. You've been on three dates already and you seem to be happy. Obviously it's going fairly well. What gives?"

"Lucian," Claudette answered simply. "I loved him, Sookie. I believed in him. I believed that he loved me. He made me feel emotions that I'd never known and then he kills our baby because he wanted to kill me. We were supposed to have a long life together. We were supposed to love each other forever. Why would he do this to us? Sookie I'm going to tell you something that we're never supposed to say."

There was a long pause before Claudette spoke again. That wasn't a good sign. Sookie knew that it wasn't going to be good.

"It's a sin for the fae to even think such things. Promise that you won't judge me or ridicule me. You're our princess and what I'm about to say embarrasses me."

"Never," Sookie whispered. "I love you. I'm your cousin; here and now. Don't think of me as your princess. My status matters not when it comes to your happiness and well being. Fear me not nor my reaction. We are kin. Never will I judge or ridicule you. We have always stood together and together we will always stand."

Claudette inhaled and let the forbidden words fall from her mouth. "Lucian has instilled fear in my heart. I fear believing in love. I fear love. I fear that love will no longer find me and I will never find love."

Sookie could barely hear the words that her cousin had spoken but she could hear the pain in Claudette's voice. She could feel the ache as it coursed through her cousin's body. The fear was strong. It has overpowered her cousin's heart and soul. She wanted to find love again but she couldn't open herself up to it.

"I have a question for you, my dearest cousin. Did you mention my status as your princess because there is something that you want from me? Is there something that you need for me to do in order to make the pain go away … to make things easier for you? If that is what you want, no one but us has to know. We will never speak of it."

For a fleeting moment, Claudette almost said yes. She wanted to be free love again. She wanted to be free of the fear. She wanted to find love. She wanted to feel as if her true mate was out there and she would find that mate without fear. She wants her mate to love her and to always love her. Her name, her wealth, and her position; they would not make a difference. They wouldn't see those things. Her true mate would see her and only her.

"That cannot be," she answered. "It wouldn't be true if it has been altered."

"My most beloved cousin, that is not true" Sookie replied. "Your feelings wouldn't be altered and neither would your friend's. I would only take the fear away. The memories would stay. I would only open your heart to what awaits you. I would open up your heart to love."

Claudette wanted it and Sookie could feel the urgency in her cousin's heart but she wouldn't act on it until Claudette requested it.

Pressing the phone closer to her ear, Claudette said, "I will give it time and I will persevere. I can't give in to the fear. Now, how about those shoes? Wanna go shopping and then go to lunch?"

Sookie said nothing else about her offer. If Claudette wanted it, she would let her know.

"Yes and yes," she replied. "We have a lot to talk about. I want to hear about this mystery relationship that you have going on. Is Cissy coming with us?"

"I tried calling her but got no answer. You know that she's getting closer to having their baby. Plus with Gran gone, it's been a tough time for her. She's afraid of having the baby because she doesn't know what to do. Colman's mom is supposed to be coming here to help her out."

"At least she has Colman's mom," Sookie said quietly.

"You alright?" Claudette asked.

"I'm fine."

"You will be."

"Where are we going shoe shopping?"

"How about we pop ourselves to Malibu or New York and go to Jimmy Choos?"

"New York and give me fifteen minutes."

"Done," Claudette replied.

When they'd ended their call, Sookie took a quick thirty-five minute shower. Sookie stood in the middle of the overflowing walk-in closet looking for the perfect New York daytrip outfit. She also wanted to look as beautiful as she could if she decided to tell Claudette about Lucian and Freyda.

The thought of telling Claudette the things that Eric told her last night, saddened Sookie. After learning that Claudette's afraid to love again, Sookie didn't think that it was going to possible for Claudette handle the truth about the former love of her life and his undead lover.

Sookie thought of how courageous Eric was in telling her all about Freyda and what she'd done. She was extremely proud of him. As a smile played across Sookie's lips, the urge to be near Eric increased. She'd assumed that the daytrip with her cousin would make her feel better. She almost wished that she could see his shy smile or hear his joyous laughter. She almost wished that she could feel his strong arms as they pulled her into his cool, muscular body. She almost wished for the glorious feelings that he'd made her feel when they made love. Instead, she kept her wishes to herself. She couldn't risk wishing him awake in broad daylight.

As she let her towel fall to the closet floor, her cell phone whistled. It was a text from Claudette.

_Meet me in the private room at Versace. That's going to be our first stop. Then we'll go to Fendi. I was also thinking that we could stop at Chanel and Hermes. What do you think?_

_15 mins.?_

'_Kay. Don't forget your credit cards or your cash. You're paying for my shoes and my dress!_

Sookie ran to the bathroom and tousled her hair and put on very light makeup. From the closet, Sookie grabbed a pair of black slacks and a sapphire blue blouse. She'd worn the outfit before and surprisingly, Eric complimented her. She remembered that because they hadn't been married for very long. That night he told her that the blouse made her eyes seem bluer and more beautiful. Sookie smiled as the memory of that night replayed in her mind. She continued to smile as she put on her black boots and grabbed her oversize leather purse as she ran from the room.

Stopping in front of their bedroom door, she grabbed a slip of paper from her purse and left Eric a note to let him know that she was going out with Claudette and that they would be in New York for a day trip. When she slipped the note underneath the bedroom door, it took all of her willpower not to go in the room and cuddle up with him. She knew that she couldn't do that because if she had, she never would have left his side.

When Sookie popped herself to Versace, Claudette was in the room waiting for her and she was surrounded by some of the most beautiful shoe; and some of the ugliest shoes, she'd ever seen.

"Oh, Sookie," Claudette said excitedly. "They're having a sale!" She spread her arms out and said, "A huge sale!"

Sookie laughed at the expression on her cousin's face. It was beautiful and it was priceless. She just hoped that if Claudette ever finds out about the secret that she's decided to keep from her, that she would understand it was for the best. It was better for everyone involved. She would have to understand. She would have to.

It was the only choice.


	36. Chapter 36

A Marriage of Inconvenience?

**I apologize for the delay in the postings. I hope that you enjoy and stick with me. I've been writing chapters for my other stories as well. **

**The characters belong to CH but the story idea is mine.**

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The ladies couldn't have asked for a better day. The two faery women enjoyed a day of shopping and chatting. So far, Claudette has walked away with several pairs of shoes along with the shoes that Sookie had to buy. She even bought two extra dresses to go along with the one that Sookie had to buy. They laughed and talked just as they always have. They tried on many different outfits and pranced around as they used to when they were little girls and they were trying on their grandmother's fancy dresses and shoes. It was a great day.

"Want to go for a late lunch?" Claudette asked. "It's almost 2:00 and we've been trying on clothes since ten this morning. I'm tired of shopping and I'm _so_ ready to eat. The fruit, sweet cakes, and coffee were beyond delicious but hey, this faery needs some real food. The snacks are no longer doing it for me. What about you?"

Sookie smiled as she checked out her reflection. She was admiring a dress that she really wanted. She always believed that she looked best in soft colors and this particular dress was absolutely stunning on her. The feel of the soft fabric, as it brushed against her nipples, made her think about Eric. He would love this dress.

"I stopped with the fruit over an hour ago," she replied. As she cocked her head to the side, she asked, "Do you think I ought to buy this? I've always looked pretty good in orchid. It's so pretty, don't cha think? I think that Eric's going to like me in this." She twirled around and admired herself again. "What do you think, Cissy?"

"If you want it, get it. You haven't bought much of anything today. Orchid has always been a good color on you." Smiling at Sookie, she added, "I think that you should get yourself something nice. Just a little advice, though. You might want to go up a size or two. It's a little tight. I can almost see the print of your belly button through that dress." Claudette began to giggle.

Sookie stopped modeling and turned around to glare at Claudette. "Was that comment necessary? Why do you have to be so insulting? And I won't have to go up a size or two. I wouldn't wear it right now anyway. It's a summer dress and it's October." Taking a step back, she took a quick glance at her reflection and asked, "Have I really gained that much weight?"

Claudette nodded. "Yeah, you have. Your stomach is a little …I don't know …paunchy. Don't get me wrong. It's not that big but it's not as flat as it used to be either. You've gotten wider in the hips. What have you been doing …drinking gravy instead of water?" She didn't giggle this time. She laughed heartily. "Drinking gravy," she repeated as she laughed. "You have to admit; that was a funny one."

Sookie gave Claudette the finger before walking back into the dressing room to take the dress off. She looked at herself in the mirror once more and sighed. She is getting a little wider. Her belly isn't as flat as it used to be but she isn't the whale that Claudette is making her out be. Even if she is putting on a little weight, she still looked pretty damned good; at least Eric thought so. They'd made love for the past couple of nights and he hadn't notice. If he had, at least he was too much of a gentleman to mention it.

As she looked down at herself, Sookie said, "You don't look like you've been drinking gravy. You look good regardless of what stupid, old Claudette thinks." She gave herself an affirming nod before taking the dress off.

After she'd put her clothes back on and took the dress to the salesgirl, Sookie didn't say anything else to Claudette. She was upset and she was hurt. They were having such a good day and she just had to go and ruin it.

"Will that be all Mrs. Northman?" the salesgirl asked.

"Yes," Sookie replied.

"That'll be $485.00."

Sookie gave the girl her credit card and waited.

Claudette walked up behind Sookie and rested her chin on her shoulder. "Are you mad at me?"

Sookie ignored her as she shook Claudette's chin off of her shoulder.

"Here you go, Mrs. Northman," the girl said as she handed Sookie her credit card. Sookie watched the girl as she put her dress in the store box.

"Don't be mad," Claudette said.

The girl placed the box on the countertop in front of Sookie. "Thanks for coming. And if you ever want to reserve the store for privacy reasons, please just call me and I will take care of everything." The girl handed Sookie her card with her name and contact number on it.

"Thank you Embry," Sookie said after reading the girl's information. "I do appreciate you. Thank you so much for such great service."

"My pleasure," Embry replied as she glowed with pride. "Good evening, Mrs. Northman and Ms. Brigant."

Sookie picked up her box and walked away with Claudette trailing behind her. She wouldn't acknowledge that her cousin was with her. When the doorman opened the doors for them, Sookie thanked and tipped him as she walked on.

"Come on, Sookie. I was only joking."

Sookie ignored her.

"You haven't gained that much weight."

Sookie stopped walking but didn't turn around to face her cousin. She rolled her eyes at the sky and exhaled. She wanted to tell Claudette to go to hell but she wasn't going to waste her time. She didn't deserve it so she continued on. Claudette hastened her gait in order to catch up with her cousin. She put her arm around Sookie's waist and kissed her cheek.

"I'm sorry."

Sookie looked at her and said, "No you're not. You meant it. You hurt my feelings, Cissy."

"I didn't mean to hurt you. I was just making an observation and the gravy comment was a joke. You would've laughed if I'd have said it to Claudine."

"Yeah," Sookie said. "It would have been funny then but it's not funny now. You said it to me."

"Oh, lighten up. It just surprises me that you've gained weight. You never gain weight. You've always been a size 4. Come on and forgive me. You can't stay mad at me forever," Claudette said. "You've said worse to me."

Sookie stopped and said, "You tell me when I've said anything so hurtful to you."

Claudette stopped when Sookie did and started thinking. She placed her fingers on her chin and looked up at the sky. She knows that Sookie has said something that was hurtful when she didn't mean to be hurtful. She just knew it. She began strumming her fingers on her chin as she thought of the hurtful things that Sookie has said to her but she was at a loss. No matter how she pondered, she could come up with nothing and now she was going to have to eat crow.

"I'm waiting."

"I'm thinking. I'm thinking."

Sookie huffed and started walking away. "You'll be there all day long thinking of the mean and hurtful things that I've never said to you. Do you want to know why? I'll tell you why. Because I've never said anything so hurtful to you," Sookie stated.

Before Sookie could go any further with her rant, she and Claudette were surrounded by Sookie's fae guards. The ladies continued walking as if they didn't sense that the guards were there but as soon as they felt their arrival, they were suddenly on alert. Though the guards were invisible, the faeries could see them.

"Is there a problem, Antony?" Sookie asked.

"We sense danger, your highness. We've searched throughout but could not find it."

Claudette's shimmer began to brighten. Her green eyes were almost glowing and she was ready to fight. "Why is it that you're _just_ making us aware of this possible danger?"

Carson spoke up and said, "We've always been advised by the princess that unless the danger is impending, to remain calm. She said that she would let us know the proper time to react. She doesn't believe in unnecessary bloodshed. When she didn't say anything to us, we assumed that all was well. When she didn't react while we were in the store, we thought that she had it under control but outside of the store …the sense grew stronger. When she walked ahead without us, we knew that something was wrong. She would never do that. She has always sent us out ahead of her if the danger is more than she can handle alone. Since she didn't alert us, we took measures."

As his eyes stayed focues on her, Carson asked Sookie, "When you didn't notice the doorman make a call on his cell phone after you and Countess Brigant walked by, we knew that something was wrong. He watched you two as you walked away and you didn't acknowledge this. Did you not sense danger, your highness?"

Sookie shook her head no. She sensed nothing. She wasn't aware of any impending danger that she and Claudette may have been in. This has never happened to her before. She has always been on alert. She has always been aware of her surroundings. In the past, she didn't need the fae guards to guard her. She always assumed that she was guarding them; that is until today. This wasn't safe. _She_ was no longer safe on her own. Why were her senses down? Dr. Ludwig didn't mention that to her at all.

Claudette turned in a flash and looked in the direction of the store. Within seconds, she was gone and back again. When she returned she said that the doorman that took Sookie's $20.00 tip was no longer there. "Where is he?"

Antony stood tall and proud and said, "We have handled him, my lady. His phone has been confiscated and is in a safe place."

"Good," she said to him. Claudette then turned to Sookie and asked, "Are you okay?" She placed her hand gently on her cousin's shoulder.

"Yeah," she answered in a weak voice. "I'm fine."

Sookie was far from okay but she wasn't going to say so. There was no need in alarming her cousin unnecessarily. She smiled at Claudette and said, "Don't worry about me. I guess the good time that we've been having has taken my mind elsewhere."

"You're the worst liar ever," Claudette replied. "Carson, Antony; Sookie and I are going to the Essential Spark for lunch. Contact three more guards and send them ahead to check things out. You two stay with us. If we are in danger, contact Colman and put him on alert. Claudette may be in danger as well and she won't be able to fight. She is with child and she too, needs protection. Upon sunset, contact Mr. Northman and let him know where we are and what's going on."

"Yes, ma'am," they said.

Sookie looked from the guards to Claudette. "There is no need to contact Eric. He will only worry and there's nothing to worry about."

Claudette ignored her. "Do as I say."

Claudette and Sookie knew that the orders would be followed to the letter. They knew that their guards were fully armed and ready to kill and even die for them if it came down to it. As long as they were on duty, the faeries needn't worry about their lives.

As Claudette went to Sookie and took her hand into hers, they could feel it as soon as the extra guards appeared. Though they had nothing to fear, the cousins remained alert and focused. All was quiet as they made the trek the Essential Spark restaurant. It is the most exclusive restaurant in New York and it was only for the fae and their significant others. It was the most elegant restaurant of its kind. The tables were made of the most expensive woods. The floors were covered by the lushest carpets and the sounds of Fae filled the air; waterfalls, birds, and the winds. For Sookie and Claudette, it was as close to home as they would ever get again.

When the unseen guards opened the doors of the restaurant and the Brigant ladies entered, the _maître d knew what was to be done. He alerted all of the staff. Though there were a few faeries waiting to be seated, Sookie and Claudette took precedence over everyone else. He grabbed two brand new menus from underneath the podium and carried them as he led the ladies to the private room that is specifically for the royal family. _

_Once they were seated and the door was securely closed behind them, the maître d smiled proudly. "My name is Roosevelt and I will be serving you this evening. I must say, it is pleasure to serve the ladies of the house of Brigant. If you need me," he said as he handed the ladies a golden bell, "you need only ring."_

_"Thank you Roosevelt," Sookie and Claudette said simultaneously. _

_"And if I may," he stated directly to Sookie._

_"Go on," Sookie said._

_"My sincerest apologies on the death of our most beloved queen," he said as he bowed._

_"Thank you," the girls said._

When Roosevelt was gone, Claudette began to bark out orders to Antony and Carson once more. "Don't leave this room for anything. The other guards will stay outside the doors but you two will remain in here with us. Am I understood?"

"Yes, ma'am," they replied.

Claudette then looked at Sookie and asked, "Why didn't you just tell me? I wouldn't have planned this day. You know how dangerous it is for our kind…"

"Tell you what?"

Claudette wasn't smiling and she wasn't in the mood for playing games. "Don't play coy with me, Sookie. We can afford neither at this time in your life. Do you realize what you've done?"

"I haven't done anything." She shrugged her shoulders and said, "I was going to tell Eric first and then you and Claudine."

Frustration filled Claudette's eyes. "You put your life and the life of your unborn child in danger. If you had told me, I could have warned you. Why do you think I didn't know of Lucian's plans? A baby uses a lot of our power; if not most of it. Didn't Elvin tell you?"

"Gran told me not to see him. He won't leave Fae for this realm. He hates the humans and I couldn't go home to Faery," Sookie replied. "So Gran sent me to Dr. Ludwig. She never mentioned that to me."

Claudette nodded knowingly. "That explains why you didn't know. Let me tell you something. Your essence is stronger. Your glow brightens. Your smell is sweeter and your heartbeat is stronger but your sense of danger is weakened. You can no longer see it because you carry a life that was made of love. It overpowers the evil and the danger."

"But Lucian …he didn't love …"

Claudette's eyes dropped to the table. "But I loved him enough to block out any of his wrongdoings." Shrugging her shoulders, she added, "Love made me blind."

"I'm sorry that I …"

"Don't apologize to me. You only speak the truth but trust and believe that I'll never make that mistake again."

Sookie didn't like the sound of that but didn't say anything. She reached across the table and held Claudette's hand and asked, "What am I supposed to do now that I'm pregnant?"

"You can do anything that you like but you must stay alert. You can't leave your home without your guards or without Eric. This child that you carry is the first of its kind. There are no fae/vampire hybrids. Do you know what this means to our world? The power that this child holds will change our fate; our very existence."

Sookie understood all of that. It was inevitable. It was what she wanted. She wanted to have Eric's child more than anything in this world or in her homeland. This was supposed to happen. It is fate.

"Cissy, there's something else. I …it hurts for me to be away from Eric."

Frowning, Claudette asked, "What do you mean it hurts?"

"It's as if something inside of me is …is pulling me closer to him when I try to leave. Just like today, when I was preparing to meet with you, it felt as if my heart was ripping in two. What is that?"

Claudette was speechless. "I don't know." She thought harder and longer but still, she came up with nothing. "I don't know. You need to ask him what it is and you need to tell him about the shift in power." Pointing at her cousin's stomach, she said, "The shift in your power."

Sookie nodded.

"I don't want a nod, Sookie. I want an answer."

"Okay. I'll tell him."

"And you're going to tell him about what you're feeling when you're away from him." That wasn't a question. Claudette didn't take chances when it came to her cousins lives. They were all she had left in this world and she wasn't going to lose them.

"I'll tell him," she said as she nodded her head and read over her menu. Sookie began to smile. "I sometimes have to wonder who the princess is supposed to be. You sure do have a way of ordering me around."

Claudette giggled as she read over her own menu. "I've always wondered how great I'd be in that capacity." Looking over her menu at Sookie, she added, "Now I know."

Both of the Brigant ladies were reading over their menus when Roosevelt walked into the room without being called. They didn't notice him when he entered the room but they did notice the smell of blood. When they looked at him, he was carrying the head of a man and he was covered in blood. Sookie and Claudette were soon standing; their blades were in their hands.

Roosevelt dropped to his knees just as the head of the unknown man rolled across the floor. The male fae had been mortally wounded. Sookie was soon down on her knees and holding him in her arms. Claudette was about to leave the room to fight but Sookie stopped her with a look. This time, there was no question of who the princess is.

Claudette wanted to tell Sookie to go to hell. She was going to fight but she knew better. This wasn't a time to disobey her. She knew when Sookie was being her cousin and when she was in princess mode. Sookie was in princess mode.

Turning her attentions back to Roosevelt, Sookie asked, "What happened?"

In the softest voice, he said, "We were overrun. We don't know who they were or where they came from but we got all of them but one. Unfortunately, he escaped but not before he was wounded." He looked into Sookie's eyes and said, "I tried, my fairest princess but alas, I have failed thee."

Tears fell from her eyes and onto his bloodied face. "You have made me proud, my friend." Placing her hand to her heart, she leaned down and kissed his cheek before saying, "In my heart, I hold onto thee."

Roosevelt smiled and it reached his eyes. He placed his hand to his chest just as he faded away. He was going to his new home; the Summerlands.

Antony, Carson, and the last remaining guard surrounded Sookie and Claudette. Antony said, "We must go. More are coming and iron is abundant. Bryson is gone. The ones that tried to help us; they are gone. We cannot stay here and fight for we will surely lose."

"We can't run like fucking cowards," Claudette proclaimed. "Antony, you take Sookie home. We will stay and fight."

"You will not," Sookie replied. "You will come with me and nothing more will be said. There is no room for argument and if you ever speak of a Brigant being a coward again, you will be sorry. There is no cowardice here. We are using common sense. We will not die for unnecessary reasons. Am I understood?"

Pointing in the direction of the imminent danger, Claudette asked, "We cannot …"

Placing her hand on her most beloved cousin's face, Sookie said, "I don't like repeating myself. You know this." She offered Claudette her hand and said, "Take me hand and we will leave." The faeries were standing in a circle holding hands; waiting for Claudette to combine their power so that they could leave.

This wasn't the first time she and Sookie had gotten into an argument over running from a fight. Sookie wanted to find out what the fight was for. Claudette always wanted to dive in head first. She didn't care about the reasons. They didn't matter then and they don't matter now but she knew to remain quiet.

Claudette sighed and took Sookie's hand. "Forgive my insolence. It won't happen again."

"Yes it will," Sookie said as she laughed.

Carson looked in the direction of the door and said, "They are coming. We must go."

Just as the door to the private room burst open, their glow filled the room and the faeries were long gone.


	37. Chapter 37

**A Marriage of Inconvenience?**

**Thank you all so much for reading and reviewing. I have been so neglectful of my other stories that I've been working extra hard at fixing the mistakes that I'll probably miss but I'm making the chapter extra long to make up for my neglectfulness. I hope that you all enjoy this bonus chapter. Until next time, happy reading and remember ...the characters belong to CH but as always, the story idea belongs to me. **

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She was in a dark room. Darker than usual and it was an unusual darkness. It wasn't a darkness that she'd ever known. It was a darkness that she couldn't see in. It was a scary darkness. It was an eerie darkness. It was a deadly darkness. She sat up in what she believed to be a bed and waved her hand in front of her face. Nothing; she saw nothing. She couldn't see her hand. She then closed her eyes and smiled. She almost laughed at herself. She realized that she may have popped herself in their bedroom without even realizing it while she was sleeping. It could have happened; especially with her senses being out of whack and the overwhelming need to be near her husband.

"How can I be so stupid?" she asked herself. "I'm in our room." But as soon as the words left her mouth, she knew that she was wrong. She was dead wrong.

She reached for the bedside lamp and just as she suspected, it wasn't there. There was no lamp. There was no nightstand. There was nothing. Again, she closed her eyes but this time she didn't smile. She knew deep down that she something wasn't right. She wasn't in their bedroom. She wasn't in their home. She was in danger. She knew all of this but showed no fear. Her pulse did not quicken. Her heartbeat did not race. Her breathing remained steady. She did not perspire. She remained seated on the bed …the chaise …the cot or whatever it may be and said nothing.

She remained calm.

As she opened her eyes, she opened her hand; expecting her light to fill the room but there was nothing. She wanted to call out to her husband but something told her not to. She decided that it was best to listen to the little voice and kept quiet. She began to think of where she could possibly be and who she could possibly be with but no place and no one came to mind. She then placed her hand on her stomach. For some reason, she felt that she needed to comfort the baby. The baby was fine and for now, the baby was in no danger but she had a strong feeling that she was. As she comforted their baby, she was filled with something that she couldn't quite put her finger on. It wasn't fear. It was something that she'd grown to know all too well since she and her husband had reconnected.

Anxiety.

She was no longer with him. He wasn't close by. He was no near her. She couldn't sense him at all. They weren't together. She couldn't smell him. She couldn't touch him. She couldn't feel him. It wasn't that he was gone. She was but she wouldn't be for much longer. For some reason, she knew that they couldn't be without each other. She had to be with him. He had to be with her. There was no other way around it. They are soulmates. She had to get home to him and nothing was going to keep her doing so. She wasn't going to wait for something to happen. She decided that she was going to make it happen but she was too late.

There was a booming sound that filled the hollow room that she was being held in. She'd heard the boom before; the metal door slamming into the concrete wall. She then heard another sound. This too was a familiar sound. It was the sound of footsteps echoing in the hollow hallways. The sounds didn't make her fearful. The sounds didn't make her freeze in place. They made her curious. They made her wonder how she knew these sounds and why she couldn't quite get a grip on where she was.

The scratchy blanket that once covered her legs was soon kicked to the floor. Her bare feet rested on the cold, damp, and concrete floor. She was in a basement; a familiar basement. She knew where she was. She wondered how on earth she'd ended up in this basement; in this place. This was a place that held the unknown. The uncertain stayed here. Not their people. It wasn't a place that they were supposed to go to on a whim. Only certain members of the fae were given access here. She was the only member of the royal family that has ever been allowed in the basement. Before his death, Niall made it law that no one but her and a select few were to ever be allowed in this room. She was allowed because of her gifts. It was a death sentence for others. Even _he_ never stepped foot in the basement. He said that it was not because he was fearful of what it held but because of what it means.

"How did I end up in Faery? How did I come to be in this room?" she whispered to the darkness. When she'd laid down for her nap, she was at home and laying on the couch in their living room.

Her thoughts were broken when the sobs of children filled the stale, damp air. She got up from the bed and ran to the door. Resting the palms of her hands against the door and pressing her against it as well, she could hear the sobs of the children getting louder. She stepped away from the door and looked at the knob. The little voice told her to stay put and to leave the children alone but this time she ignored the voice. She turned it and it happened.

It opened.

Without an ounce of hesitation, she walked in the direction of the sobbing children. They needed her to save them. She could see them in her head. They were being held captive and they had no way to escape. She could feel their fear. They were frightened. They were alone and only she could save them. She was their only hope. The little voice told her not to go but she couldn't not go. They were children. She couldn't let the children suffer. She couldn't knowingly leave them without at least trying to help them. The idea of them being lost her, was more than she could handle.

She was no longer walking. The bun that she'd worn her hair in was gone. Her blonde hair flowed behind her. The long, lacy white gown that someone had dressed her in was fluttering around her feet; the dampness from the cold, concrete floor soaked the hem. With her hand protectively cradling her stomach, she ran as fast as she could.

"Mommy!" they called out.

She knew that there was no need in looking around to see if someone else would magically appear. She knew that she was the only one there. The footsteps that she'd heard earlier had no owner. She knew that they were mere echoes in the empty hallway. She was alone. She knew that the missing mommy wasn't going to suddenly appear because she nowhere to be found. The mommy wasn't coming to save them because there but she couldn't tell them that. They were scared and lonely children. She had to do what she had to do.

"I'm coming!" she called out to the children. "I'm coming."

She ran until she reached the end of the long and empty hallway. There were no children there for her to save. The sobbing had stopped. The fear that the children had felt was no longer saturating the air. They were gone. They children had vanished.

"Where are you?" she cried out.

Nothing; the children said nothing.

She began to cry. "Where are you? I can't help you if you don't tell me where you are." For the first time since realizing that she was no longer in her comfort zone, she began to panic. She began to feel fear.

Suddenly, everything stopped though no nothing was moving. The hallway was no longer empty. She was no longer alone. When she turned to her right, there they were. The children stood behind a glass wall. She walked over to the glass wall and stared at the little boys. She almost reached out to touch the glass but she heard the little voice again and this, she knew to listen. She didn't take another step forward. She looked down at the hand that rested on her stomach and then back at the children that were on display.

The children were no longer sobbing. They were smiling and jumping up and down. They were reaching out to her. She'd never seen two happier children in her life. The two tow-headed little boys with the bright eyes stared back her. If she didn't know any better, she would have thought that they knew her …that they were waiting for her. They acted as if she was the mommy that was supposed to save them. They knew that no one else was going to come to save them. It was supposed to her all along. No one else was supposed to save them. There was no mommy. There was only her.

"Mommy!" they said to her as their smiled broadened.

As she studied the boys' faces, she realized that she knew them. No; she knew of them. She'd seen them before. They were the little boys from her dream. In her dream they were the sons that she shared with him; or so she thought but she was wrong. They belonged to another. Their father was a faery. He wasn't her husband. Their father was man that she didn't know. She'd never seen the faceless man. She didn't know these boys either. She didn't want to know them. They weren't hers. She could suddenly feel something evil and dark coming from them. She took a step back; this time wrapping her arms protectively around their unborn child.

"I'm not your mommy," she said.

"Mommy, you love us," they sang to her. "You love only us, mommy."

"No. I don't know you."

"Don't be cruel, mommy. You have to let _it_ go. We are your children. We are your children." They repeated it over and over again.

"I don't know you," she screamed at them.

She took another step back. Suddenly her pulse began to quicken. Her heart began to race. Her breathing became shallow and hurried. She began to perspire. She took another step back and pretty soon her back was pressed against the cold concrete wall. The boys hated her and her husband's baby. They wanted to cause harm to their baby. They wanted to kill the baby. Her arms tightened around their baby.

"No," she said.

"It's not like us. It's not good for us."

"This is our child!" she yelled as she cradled their unborn child. "You don't exist. You're no more than a faded dream that was never meant to be."

"We don't have be," they sang to her.

She stood tall and said, "But you are. You'll be no more than a fade dream."

They boys were no longer smiling. Their faces were emotionless. Their eyes were dead. Their bodies were pressed against the glass. She was wrong. She wasn't the one that was in danger. The children wanted to harm the baby that's going to change the fate of the supernatural world. They wanted to harm the baby that was made because of the love that a vampire and fae share. They didn't want this baby to be. They wanted to take the place of their baby.

"Why?" she whispered as tears fell from her eyes.

"Because we your children."

She sobbed for her baby.

"Mommy!" they growled at her.

She screamed as her arms tightened protectively around their unborn child. She slid down the concrete wall and screamed.


	38. Chapter 38

**A Marriage of Inconvenience?**

**I am so pleased that so many of you remembered the dream she had in the earlier stages of the story. I'm sorry that some of you didn't think that it fit but it will make sense in the long run. I'm also really happy that the last chapter was as creepy as I'd intended it to be. So without further ado, here we go. **

**The characters belong to CH but the as always, the story idea is mine.**

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Sookie's eyes were opened wide. She looked around the room expecting to still be in the basement. The screams from her nightmare threatened to come into her reality. She couldn't allow that. She almost choked on them as she swallowed them back to where they belonged. When she sat up, Sookie looked at the light switch on the other side of the room and willed it into the on position. When she looked down at her stomach, her arms were where they were in the dream; protectively wrapped around their unborn child.

The little boys from the nightmare differed from the sweet and lovable little boys from her previous dream. These children were evil. They wanted to cause the baby that she carries harm but why? Who are they and what do they mean to her? Does this mean that ...no. It was nothing more than a bad dream. It wasn't real. It'll never be real but it scared her nonetheless. Another concern for her is that she didn't remember falling asleep. The last thing that she remembered was sitting on the couch and taking off her shoes. Carson had offered to return to Essential Spark to gather hers and Claudine's bags. Claudine went to get them each a cup of tea. Antony was standing in the doorway watching her. Sookie couldn't recall falling asleep.

Without bothering to look out of the window, Sookie knew that it was nighttime. She knew that Eric had risen for the night and he wasn't with her. And it was want she wanted. Just as in her dream, it wasn't safe for him to know what was going on. She was going to tell him in time; just not now …not yet. She has to keep them safe; all of them.

"Your highness?"

Sookie looked in the direction of the living room doorway and there stood Antony. Almost in the exact same spot she'd seen him standing in earlier. She didn't want to see him. She didn't expect to see him. She expected to see Eric blur across the room and take her into his arms. She expected to hear his soothing and caring voice whispering in her ear. She wanted to hear him tell her that he loves her and only her. She wanted to hear him say that for the rest of their existence, that no one but their little family matter. Eric was supposed to be at the door; not Antony.

"Are you alright?" he asked as he took a step forward.

"I'm well, thank you. Why are you here?" She may have said it a little snippier than she'd intended but she didn't care.

"Watching over you as you slept," he answered.

Almost to herself, Sookie said, "I don't remember going to sleep."

"It happened pretty quickly," he said. As an afterthought, he added, "That must have been some dream that you were having."

Sookie looked at him as if to ask how he knew what was happening with her. How would he know whether she was dreaming or not? Sookie didn't bother forming the thought into a question because answered it without being told to.

Antony began walking in her direction with his hands raised. "It's not how it sounded. I wasn't spying on you. Almost as soon as we returned from the Essential Spark, you went to sleep. Countess Brigant told me to keep an eye on you. The reason I said that you were dreaming is because you were doing a lot of talking and moaning. You weren't quite coherent but your panic and fear were evident. You were extremely upset and gripping your stomach. I thought that maybe you'd fallen ill. I was going to call Elvin …I still can if you need him."

"No," Sookie almost yelled at him. She cleared her throat and repeated her answer. "No. I don't need a doctor and I don't need Elvin."

Antony was now standing in front of her. "Would you like a glass of water? Are you hungry? You never got a chance to eat today. I have some honeyed milk and some faery sweet breads in my lunch bag if you'd like some."

She shook her head no. "I'll eat later. Where is my husband?"

Antony pointed over his shoulder and said, "Down the hall having a meeting with Countess Brigant and a couple of other vampires." He frowned and then added, "I also think that a few Weres are in there."

Sookie looked relieved. It is a good thing that Eric is in a meeting. Whenever he's in a meeting with his kinsmen, he blocks off the bond because those types of meetings can become a little heated. If he's thrown Claudette in the mix, he should expect nothing less than a little heat; especially if she's telling him about the attack on the restaurant this afternoon. Sookie knew that she needed to get in there with them but she just didn't have the energy to move right now. The dream; that fucking dream, it had taken most of the energy that Sookie had left.

"Your highness?" Antony said. "Can you hear me?"

Sookie looked at him and smiled. "I can hear just fine, thank you. How long have they been in his office?"

"About an hour or two," Antony answered. "Are you sure you're fine? You're shaking."

He almost reached out and touched her but withdrew his hand when she saw the look on her face; a look of surprise. He knew that he couldn't touch her. She belonged to another. She was a member of the royal family and the wife of a very powerful vampire. If he'd so much as brushed against her, she or the vampire had every right to kill him.

"My apologies," he whispered. "Concern for my princess got the better of me. Was it that bad? The dream, I mean. Was it that bad?"

She didn't want to answer him but she couldn't keep it quiet. It was as if the dream was taking her over; the ugliness, the evil, and the discontent. So she nodded her head and said, "Yeah. It was that bad."

"Do you want to talk about it?"

The memories of being in the basement of The Unknown made Sookie look around the familiar living room and take in each familiar sight. She took in every single detail. She inhaled a deep breath as she relished in the knowledge that her baby was safe, that Fintan hadn't returned and taken her back to Faery, and that they were at home. She placed her hand on her stomach and exhaled.

"No, I don't. I'm home and we're safe."

She wanted to fully believe in what she said but the dream was so real and it terrified her. She wasn't sure if she or her baby would safe until she found out what was going on. They could both ...

"Stop it," she said to herself. "Just stop it."

"Excuse me?" Antony said.

Shaking her head, Sookie said, "Nothing. I was speaking to myself …out loud."

Leaning in to him but not close enough to touch him, she said, "Don't let anyone know that your princess is nuts." She smiled at him and said, "That's an order."

Antony laughed at her joke. "Yes, ma'am," he said as he saluted to her.

She normally enjoyed a little laughter but she couldn't let go of the terror that she'd felt in the dream. It was all too real. The children; they seemed so real. She knew that if they'd broken that glass, they would have gotten to her and they would've have hurt the baby. Tears flooded her eyes. Angrily, she wiped them away before they had a chance to fall. She didn't like the idea of the terrifying dream controlling how she felt. She didn't like the feeling of being scared and helpless. She is a Northman. She is a Brigant. She is a faery princess. Terror and helplessness were not emotions that she's allowed to feel.

"Ma'am," Antony said. He had something in his hand.

He was handing her a handkerchief. It shimmered and it smelled of the sweet lilies from Adele's Garden. An ache filled her heart as she thought of the times she shared with her grandmother in the garden. The lilies were her favorite. As she stared at the handkerchief, she had a sudden need to go to Faery. She reached out to take it but stopped herself. There was no Adele's Garden anymore because Adele was gone. There was no home in Fae anymore because Adele was gone. She didn't want the handkerchief and she didn't want any remnants that reminded her of Faery.

"No, thank you. I'm fine."

Sookie looked to her right at the guard that was sitting next to her. She looked into his pale green eyes and stared. This was the first time she'd gotten to sit down and talk with Antony. She made it a point to meet every guard that came into their home. Somehow, she'd never gotten around to meeting with him. Now was as good a time as any.

"How did you happen to become one of my guards?"

"Colman recommended me. We went to through the Brigade's Training together. We were the best in the class. After graduation, we kept in touch and became even better friends. We'd go hunting, camping; anything that would enhance our skills." He shrugged his shoulders as he continued on. "Then one day, it was decided that you needed more guards while living in this realm because you'd be around more unknown vampires and taking more trips. Colman went to your grandparents and told them about me. The rest is history." Leaning close to Sookie but being careful not to touch her, he added, "Don't tell him though. He said that he would be seen as being unfair; especially since he talked for one of his closest friends."

Sookie laughed and pretended to zip her lip. She had always wanted to be a part of the hiring process when it came to her guards but Adele didn't think that she needed to be in on it. She said that Sookie needed to concentrate on more important things such as her lot in life and that didn't include selecting bodyguards. At the time, Adele was right but things change and Adele isn't here anymore. She and Eric are going to have a baby and she needed to check out each and every guard that was in their service. That's exactly what she was going to do.

"When were you sent here to protect me?"

Antony leaned forward and rested his arms on his knees as if trying to recall his first day on the job. He finally looked over at her and said, "I've been working for you for about three years now."

"And this is our first sit down meeting together? Why is it that I can recall my meeting with Carson and not you?" She didn't try to hide her suspicions.

"Well, it wasn't my choice and Carson and I weren't in the same group," he responded.

"What do you mean that it wasn't your choice? What wasn't your choice?"

Antony sat up and looked at the princess. "Meeting you. Look, it's not all that important. It doesn't really matter."

That angered Sookie. How dare he tell her what's important and what does and doesn't matter. He was presumptuous and arrogant. "If I ask you then it is important and it does matter, don't you think? I would think that you would know this since you are my employee."

Antony stood up from the couch and said in his most professional voice, "Yes ma'am. Forgive me, ma'am for my blatant disrespect and disregard of your question."

"Now _answer_ my question. What did you mean?"

Still standing, he answered her. "I was in the group that came before Carson's. When we were first brought here to the compound to see you, you turned us away. As we stood lined up before you, you ignored us. You acted as if we weren't there. You told the Werewolf Marco to tell us that you didn't want to meet with any new guards. You said that you didn't have the time to '_entertain the help'_. You said that you had more important things to do and we weren't a part of your important things." Clearing his throat, he said, "Those are your exact words, ma'am."

Sookie felt like shit. She remembered that day because she'd snapped at everyone that approached her that day; including Claudine. The only difference with Claudine and the guards is that Claudine told her about her '_fucked up attitude. Don't take your shit out on me!_'' Her fucked up attitude was because of Eric. Back then, it was always because of Eric.

They were supposed to meet up with Claudette and Lucian at her grandparent's vacation home just on the outskirts of Faery. The scenery was romantic and Sookie wanted to use the trip to take them back to where they were when they'd first met. She was beyond excited to go there with him; especially when he told her that he'd come. They were supposed to spend two weeks there together. Needless to say, Eric never showed up. He never called. He never gave her an explanation. She took her anger out on anyone and everyone that was close to her.

Antony remained standing. "I didn't want to tell you what you'd said since you're in such a delicate state. It wasn't that big of a deal …to me I mean. It wasn't a big deal to me. We all understood that things with the vampire …"

Standing quickly and looking the fae guard in his eyes, Sookie said, "He is never to be addressed as _the vampire_. He is my husband and you will show him the utmost respect. You will call him Mr. Northman or Master. If you ever show him disrespect again, I will not be as nice as I am right now. Am I understood?"

"Yes, ma'am. Forgive me."

"Continue," she ordered.

He cleared his throat and said, "We all understood that things with your husband weren't exactly as they appeared out in the public."

Taking a step back, Sookie asked, "How would you know this?"

"The guards that served you before we came let us know what your relationship was like within the walls of the compound. They said that the public persona differed than the private."

"Let the other fae guards know that we are to have a meeting first thing in the morning. Our marriage is not to be gossiped about."

"I'll tell them. Ma'am," he started. "May I say something?"

"Yes."

"I only mentioned the _gossip_ because it is no secret that you love him and because of his treatment of you, I understood why you were on edge." He gave her a small smile. "I understand how you must have felt. I've been in that situation before. Sometimes love isn't as easy as we'd like it to be."

Sookie looked into his friendly green eyes and smiled. She took in his warm and friendly smile. He looked nice enough but she wasn't going to let the image betray her. She had to make sure that she could trust him around her husband and her growing family. She placed her hand on his sleeved arm and began to read him. Everything that he'd told her was true. She saw nothing deceptive. She removed her hand from his arm. Even though she saw nothing, she wasn't going to let her guard down.

"There's no excuse for my past behavior. I apologize for my treatment of you and the others but I stand by my word when it comes to my husband and my marriage."

"Thank you ma'am. I will respect Mr. Northman and your marriage."

"I hope that you enjoy working here."

"Friends?" he asked.

She didn't throw the word friend around too lightly and she wasn't about to start. She didn't know him very well but she was willing to give him a chance.

"We'll see," she answered.

He offered her his hand and before she could decline his friendly offer, a voice stopped her.

"I thought that I heard your voice." It was Pam.

Sookie's entire mood changed. She was happy to see her new friend. She walked over to Pam and hugged her. In that one hug, Sookie felt safe. She felt Eric. She closed her eyes and rested her head on Pam's shoulder.

"It's so good to see you."

Pam closed her eyes and bathed in her friend's scent. "I know. I have that affect on people. It must be because I smile too much." There was no smile on her face.

Pam returned the hug but didn't take her eyes off of the fae guard. She didn't like him. She didn't trust him and from the way that he watched her, he felt the same way. She was going to have to keep her eyes on him.

"You've got some shit with you," Pam said to the guard.

Sookie released Pam from her hug and stood beside her. She took Pam's hand into hers and looked at Antony.

"He's okay, Pam. I didn't get any bad readings or images from him." Not yet.

Pam looked at Sookie and then back at the faery. The look that she gave him was blank and emotionless. Sookie's assessment didn't change Pam's opinion of him. She didn't think that he was okay. She turned to look at Sookie and the blank and emotionless look was gone. It was easily replaced with a smile.

"As always, it's good to see you." Her gaze quickly returned to Antony. His eyes remained trained on Pam. She didn't like the looks that they were giving one another. This wasn't going to be good.

"You may go," Sookie said to Antony. "Be sure to let the guards know of the meeting tomorrow morning ...all of them."

"Yes, your highness." Before going, he asked, "Am I done for the evening?"

"Yes you are thank you. My husband's awake."

"Anytime," he replied. Antony bowed and vanished from the room.

"Fucking faeries," Pam said after he'd left.

A surprised laugh escaped Sookie. "Excuse me?"

Pam's face was expressionless when she turned to face Sookie. "You look different."

"Thank you. What do you mean '_fucking faeries?'_?"

"Just as I said; fucking faeries," she repeated. She let her gaze fall back on the spot that was once occupied by Antony. She walked over to where the faery once stood. "You can't trust them. They're sneaky and underhanded. They are always hiding something; especially him. I don't like him."

Sookie walked over to where Pam was standing and tapped her shoulder.

"What?"

"I'm a faery."

"I'm not talking about you." Using her head to point at the Antony spot, Pam said, "I'm talking about him and some of the others that I've met. Fucking faeries."

"Insulting all of us is not a very smart thing to do; especially in front of the faery princess that is married to your maker. Now I will admit that your description of some of my people may be true but the least that you can do is try and not to see all of us in such a negative light. I'd never consider you be the exact replica of your oldest sister."

Pam turned slowly to face Sookie; a smirk on face. She placed her hand on her hip and said, "He finally told you. Good for him. Do you forgive him?"

"There's nothing to forgive."

"Even though he was protecting Freyda …or so he thought?"

"No because he wasn't protecting her. He was standing by his word."

"Hmmm," Pam said quizzically. "How does your cousin feel about it?"

"Does it matter?"

Pam threw her head back and laughed. "You're not going to tell her?"

"Does it matter?" she repeated.

Pam draped her arm over Sookie's shoulder. "Come on, my new friend. Let's go and talk to your husband about what happened in New York. We need to get this straight."

Sookie draped her arm over Pam's shoulder and the women left the living room. As they walked to Eric's office, Pam closed her eyes and inhaled.

"Damn, you smell so sweet! You're much prettier and shinier than I remember."

Sookie laughed. "I look shiny?"

"Yeah," Pam said. "And you know what? So does Eric. What have you done to him?"

"I've done nothing to him."

"You've done something. I guess it doesn't matter. I'm just glad that you didn't leave him. It scared him, you know? To have to live without you; it scared him. He doesn't want to know that life anymore, not since being with you. Happiness looks good on both of you. Before you, he didn't know happiness."

"Me either," Sookie answered. She didn't know that to be true until she'd spoken the words aloud.

"I love him, Sookie and it pleases me to see him this way. I am in your debt."

"Don't be silly. You don't owe me anything."

"Good," Pam said quickly. "I hate owing favors."

Both women stopped walking and filled the hallway with laughter. "You're funny, Pam."

"I'm a very humorous vampire. Good company does that to me."

"Thank you." Sookie smiled as she leaned in to kiss Pam's cheek.

"Fucking pervert," Pam replied.

Once again, Sookie's laughter filled the hallway.

Pam glanced at Sookie as she laughed and said, "Even your eyes are bluer. There's something really different about you."

"You have no idea," Sookie answered as they continued the walk to Eric's office.


	39. Chapter 39

**A Marriage of Inconvenience?**

**Thank you so much for making this story one of your favorites. Thanks for the alerts and thank you for the reviews. And as always, the story belongs to me but the characters belong to CH.**

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She'd planned on being strong but when Sookie saw Eric, all of her reserve was gone. When she saw his eyes, she saw all that she needed to see. She wasn't going to hide anything from him. She wasn't going to let this dream control her life or her marriage. The dream was trying to break her. The dream was not going to decide their fate or the fate of their unborn child. What she'd learn on that short trip down the hall is that keeping the dream a secret is what was going to destroy her; her family. When she looked in Eric's eyes, she knew that he was their salvation. With that one look, she knew that she couldn't do it alone. Together, they could stand and fight. Together, they could conquer all.

She released Pam's hand and ran to him. She didn't care that the other supes were in the room with them. She didn't care that they were watching her run to him like a little lost lamb. She wanted them to see that she needed him and only him. She didn't care that her cousin had seen the weak side of the princess that is supposed to be the representative of their people. At that very second, that very minute, she didn't care what anyone thought. She needed Eric and she wasn't afraid to show it.

When he saw her, he walked around his desk and stood in the middle of the floor; waiting. As soon as he saw her eyes, he could see the pain. He could see the terror that was in them. So he waited for her to come to him. She ran to him and jumped into his arms as she wrapped her arms around his neck. He held onto her as tightly as he could. He refused to let her go. She closed her eyes and sighed as she melted into his protective grasp. She let him feel her fear and she let the tears flow.

Eric looked at the supes that were in his office and they knew to leave. They each had a look of concern on their faces but said nothing. They knew that in time, Eric would let them know what they needed to know and what they would have to do. Claudette placed a loving hand on Sookie's back and placed a sweet kiss on her cheek.

"It's all going to be alright," Claudette said. She gave Eric a small smile just before she left the room.

When the office door was closed, Eric and Sookie remained in the same position for seconds, minutes, or maybe even hours. It didn't matter to them because they were together. He let her cry. She let herself need him. He let her be vulnerable and weak without making her feel guilty about it. She willingly let him protect her because she knew that no one but Eric would ever be her true protector. This was the first time that the vampire and the fae learned what marriage and love is all about.

After releasing her hold on his neck, Sookie rested her head against Eric's chest. "My dearest love," she whispered.

Eric stroked her head as he calmed her. It pleased him that she was letting him take care of her. She was allowing him to be her husband. He _wanted_ to be her husband. He squeezed her tighter and pulled her closer into his arms. He wanted to take care of her. He wanted to protect her and not because she needed it or wanted it. It was because he wanted to. He surrendered to the vulnerability of being her husband freely.

'_This is the reason for my existence_,' he thought. '_To love and to take care of her. This is why I am._'

Speaking aloud, he said, "This is our life, Sookie. This is what I want for us. This is the life that we were meant to have. Forgive me for not realizing it sooner."

She squeezed him tighter.

She is the one. She has always stood with him; never in front of him and never behind him but with him. Even when he mistreated her and neglected her as his wife, she never turned her back on him. She has always been loyal and true. He knew that she would kill to defend him and his. She has always been the one.

Loosening her grip and holding her at arm's length, Eric said. "Listen to me. This is the life that I want. I want you. I want this to work but you have to want it to work."

She stared into his eyes as she looked up at him.

"I know that something is going on with you, Sookie. I've known for quite awhile now. You can tell me, my lover. You can tell me anything. I love you."

"I know that, my dearest love. Even when I doubted it, I knew it to be true. When you didn't know it, I knew it to be true." Sookie began to tire and walked to the chair that sat in front of Eric's desk. She could smell that a Were of some sort had occupied the chair. Any other time, Eric would have told her to not sit in the chair that was once occupied by a shifter or a Were. He couldn't stand to have their scents on her but tonight, he said nothing. He could see the tiredness in her eyes. Once she was seated, her eyes dropped to her hands and she began to cry.

It scared him to see her like this because he didn't know what to do to help her. It made it even harder to watch because he wanted to help her and he couldn't. Eric dropped down to his knees in front of her and took her hands into his. "Tell me, my love. Let me help you. Let me take care of you. I can protect you but I can't do it unless you tell me what's wrong. I can see that something is hurting you. You can't hold onto to the pain, lover. We can get through this."

She cried even harder.

He kneeled in even closer. He lifted her chin so that he could see her eyes. "You do believe in me, don't you? You trust me." It was a question but it wasn't.

She placed her hand on his cheek. "I've never believed in anything more. I trust you with our lives."

Eric relaxed a little more with those words of assurance. "If you know this then you have to tell me what's going on with you. You can't hide things from me. This is our new beginning. We are starting over and we can't …. What do you mean '_our lives'_?"

"I'm pregnant." Her voice was weak and quiet. It was almost appalling and pathetic.

Eric stood up quickly. He was already pale but his skin was even whiter than it was before. Eric sank back onto his heels as he absorbed the words that Sookie had just spoken. _I'm pregnant_; Eric Northman's wife is pregnant. He hadn't been a father in over a thousand years. His sons were long gone. They were six and eight years old when he died. The last time he saw them, Aleph and Anastasius, they were standing on the front porch of their home waving good-bye to him. Their mother, Aude, was standing in the kitchen window. She wasn't waving. She was crying. That was the last image that he has of his human family. Eric dropped to his knees once more.

"Are you sure?" he asked quietly. He used one trembling hand to brush a strand of hair from her face. He kept his eyes glued to hers.

Sookie nodded. "Grandmother called me the morning before she …she said that I needed to pay Dr. Ludwig a visit. She said that it was best that I didn't go home to see our doctor. She said that going home wouldn't be in my best interest."

"Fintan," Eric concluded.

"Yes," she answered. "You would have never seen me again and I wouldn't be pregnant with our child. Grandmother said that I shouldn't see Elvin. That's the name of the fae doctor. He's the equivalent of Dr. Ludwig only better because he specializes in our kind but grandmother didn't trust him." Looking into Eric's eyes, she said, "She didn't trust Fintan in the end. For her to do what she did, she didn't trust me either." She had a sad look on her face when she spoke again. "She knew that I was pregnant, Eric and she still did what she did. She didn't want to be a part of our lives."

"Don't say that. Adele had her reasons and they had nothing to do with you or your cousins. You know that just as well as I do." Eric then unnecessarily cleared his throat. "So you're definitely pregnant?" He stood tall and stared out into space. His arms hung loosely at his side.

Sookie's heart began to beat rapidly as it dropped to her feet. He doesn't believe that the baby is his. How could she blame him? He's a vampire. He doesn't know anything about faery wishes or the gifts that she was born with. He doesn't fully understand all that she can do. Why would he? He never bothered to ask her and she never offered any information. He has every right to believe that the baby isn't his. Vampires are dead. They can only give life by taking life away. He has every reason to wonder. Who's ever heard of a vampire getting anyone pregnant? She sighed and decided to answer his question.

"Yes," she whispered.

"Are you tired?"

She looked at him as if he'd gone human. That was the strangest question for him to ask at a time like this. "No," she said. "I'm a little hungry but I'm not tired."

Eric pulled his cell phone from his jeans pocket and called Pam. "It's 7:00. Have everyone that was here earlier to meet us at Bloody Goodness by 10:00. We need to have a meeting. It's very important and let them all know that regardless of what they're doing, they need to be there. I won't accept any excuses from any of them."

He nodded at whatever it was that Pam said and hung up the phone. He proceeded to make another call.

"Dr. Ludwig," he said in his most cheerful and phony voice. "How are you doing this evening?"

Obviously, Dr. Ludwig said something comical because Eric filled the office with false laughter but laughter just the same.

"We need to make an appointment for Sookie. Tomorrow would be wonderful." He quickly added, "If you have the time."

His body was relaxed as he smiled broadly.

"Thank you for your congratulations." Eric puffed out his chest. "Yes, I am. I'm very happy."

He began to rock back and forth on his feet and he laughed at whatever Dr. Ludwig said. This time it was a genuine laugh; a beautiful laugh.

Looking at Sookie, Eric asked, "Is 7:00 tomorrow evening a good time for you? She can see us at 7:00 but if you have plans with your cousins, I'm sure she can work around that. I know that tomorrow is movie night."

She shook her head no. "7:00 is perfect. It's perfect."

'_No questions from him at all. He has no doubts and he doesn't question the pregnancy at all. He knows that the baby is his.'_

Eric went back to Dr. Ludwig and said, "7:00 is perfect, she said. We'll probably be there a few minutes early. Oh, and we're not going to be alone. We will have guards with us. Thank you, Megan."

He hung up the phone and stared down at Sookie as she stared up at him. "You're having my baby." Eric then did a very human thing. He did a mini fist pump and said, "Yes!"

She couldn't believe what she was seeing or hearing. He doesn't question whether or not he is the daddy. He didn't question her loyalty or her fidelity. He didn't question her at all. Her heart was no longer drumming rapidly in her chest. Her heart was no longer sitting at the bottom of her feet. It was squarely in her chest and it was filled with love. So much love that it felt like it was about to burst.

Eric suddenly spun around and said, "Tonight, we have to plan out the protection for our child and for you. We can't have you running around town alone and without your guards. You can't be popping from state to state without the proper precautions." Sookie opened her mouth to say something but he stopped her. "No arguing where that is concerned, Sookie. There will be no compromises. You will have guards at all time. You will not leave this compound without protection. Am I understood?"

Smiling, Sookie said, "Yes sir." She saluted him and giggled.

He had a serious look on his face. "This is not a joke Sookie. Do you know what this child means?"

"Yes," she said stiffly. She didn't want him to see their child as everyone else was going to see it. Their baby isn't supposed to change the fate of the supe world; not in their eyes. It's supposed to be a baby; their baby.

Eric looked down at Sookie as she remained seated in her chair. "I can see that you don't. This child means everything. He or she is a symbol of our love and I will do everything in my power to protect our baby. So I ask you, do you truly understand what this child means to us? Are you willing to do whatever it takes; no matter how uncomfortable it makes you? Are you willing to follow the rules?"

Sookie was speechless. She could only nod. She almost laughed at herself. Leave it her to make things harder than they really are. She only needed to count on Eric to see things for what they are. No matter how weak she felt tonight or any other night; she knew that he would be strong enough for all three of them. She placed her hands over her mouth and began to giggle.

"Count on me, lover," he said. "I've got you."

"I do love you," she said.

Eric lifted Sookie up from the chair and held her in his arms. Twirling her around the room and smiling as she giggled, he said over and over again, "You're having my baby."

She wrapped her arms around him and giggled even louder. Sookie knew that Eric would make everything better. He always made everything so much better.

He finally put her down and the lovers danced to the sounds of their happiness. She wasn't going to keep anything from him. She was going to tell him everything because she knew that he would protect her and their baby. They would be forever safe with him. The dream was nothing more than a dream and after she tells Eric about it, she would know for sure that it was just a dream.

"Whatever the future holds, we can make it." She bit into her bottom lip and said, "We can make it."

"I promise," he said.

The lovers kissed and hugged each other. They danced and celebrated their love and the life that their love had made. Sadly, the lovers didn't know that they were being watched.


	40. Chapter 40

**A Marriage of Inconvenience?**

**Thank you for reading and reviewing. I'd also like to say for the guest reviewer that said that Eric was more concerned about the baby than he is Sookie; that is not so. It was meant that Sookie is headstrong and is always determined to do things on her own and on her terms. He isn't trying to control her. He's trying to insure that his wife and child are safe. She can't run off to Las Vegas to visit people anymore. She can't tell the guards when they can start taking charge of her safety. She can't fire the guards at a whim because she fears that they may tell Eric something that she's done that could endanger her life or that of the baby. He's not trying to treat her as if she doesn't matter. In my eyes, he's showing her that she does matter and that she can't just think about what she wants anymore. It has nothing to do with controlling her.**

**Anyway, the story is mine but the characters belong to CH.**

* * *

Eric stood in front of the full length mirror as he adjusted his black silk tie. He watched Sookie as she repeatedly floated around the room behind him. She was picking up this and that. She was looking for something but obviously couldn't find it or remember where it was. Earlier tonight, Eric had moved her things back into their bedroom while she showered and when he did, he must have misplaced everything. She could find nothing. She'd stand tall, put a hand on her chin and nibble on her forefinger. She'd get ready to take a step forward but wouldn't move because she'd rethink her actions. She would then shake her head and prance off to another part of the room and look for whatever it was she was looking for.

As he lovingly watched her, he thought of how she has always been forthright with him. Even when he was being an idiot, she always told him the truth. She never held anything back but tonight, there was something more going on with her. He knew that something other than pregnancy was preoccupying her mind. Whatever was bothering her was more than she could handle alone. He knew that it had nothing to do with the doorman at the department store because Claudette had taken care of that. She'd given him to Neave and Lochlan to play with. There were no doubts that they could get him to talk. Eric just had to figure out a way to get Sookie to talk to him about what's bothering her. There was no need in Sookie being afraid to tell him what is on her mind. It couldn't have been fear of his reaction. He loves her and no matter what it was, they could handle it and they would get through it.

Sookie's resounding yes, to no one in particular, let him know that she'd found what she was looking for. He stared at her reflection as she stood at the foot of their bed putting her earrings in. He smiled at her frowning face. Sookie felt Eric staring at her and she looked at reflection Eric and asked, "What?"

He laughed and shook his head.

She returned his smile as she walked up behind him and wrapped her arms around his waist. "You are so very handsome." She gave him a quick squeeze and stood in between Eric and the mirror. She ran her fingers over the lapel of his jacket and smoothed her fingers over his tie.

The look on her face pleased him. Even though she didn't know it, it has always pleased him to see her happy. Her blue eyes danced beautifully as they took in every inch of him.

"I do look good, don't I?" he asked smugly.

She lightheartedly slapped his chest. "I've always thought that you look good in dark colors. They make your eyes pop. I love a man with popped eyes." The confused look on his face made her laugh heartily. "That means they look bluer; even sexier than normal. I love a man with popped eyes."

He thought about what she said for a moment and gave a nod to show that he understood what she meant. "Since we are handing out compliments, I must say that you are the only woman that I know that can look absolutely flawless without a drop of makeup on." Kissing the tip of her nose, he asked, "What have I done to be so lucky?"

Sookie shook her head and sighed. "I can only guess that the gods are with you."

The two lovers laughed as they held onto one another.

She rested her head against his chest and sighed. "Earlier today I missed you so much that it ached to leave you. It took everything inside of me to leave. When I woke up, I longed to be with you. I had to practically run past your bedroom door in order to have the strength to go out today. I almost left Claudette at the department store just to come home and lay next to you."

Eric kissed the top of her head. "You should've come home to me. When I'm in my rest, I miss you. Even before I admitted my feelings, I couldn't rest without you. I've always needed you with me but it's different now. It's nothing like it used to be. Our bond is stronger. I can feel more and more of you. Your heartbeat. Your soul. I can feel all of you."

She looked up at him and realization had finally hit her. "And you have my essence. Our hearts and souls are one now. You know what this means, don't you?"

"No," he replied.

"It means that you're stuck with me for the rest of our existence. You. Are. Never. Getting. Rid. Of. Me."

"That's a deal. We'll keep sharing essence and blood and forever will belong to us."

She hugged Eric tighter. How could she not know that her essence and his blood are what's making her yearn for him? Why didn't she realize it earlier? She closed her eyes and thought that maybe she did need to see a faery doctor. She wouldn't have to go home to see one. She could have Colman bring a fae doctor to the earthly realm. She needed to fully understand the changes that her body was going through and Dr. Ludwig just wasn't going to cut it. She didn't fully understand the fae women.

Eric sensed the sudden mood change in her. "Hey," he said. Using his forefinger to lift her chin, he asked, "What's wrong? What's with the sad face? Tell me what's going on in that little blonde head of yours?"

"I was thinking that maybe we shouldn't visit Megan. Don't get me wrong. She's a great doctor but she doesn't know a lot about fae women and she doesn't know what's going on with me. She didn't know that my senses are off."

He frowned. "What's going on with you?"

She tried to look down but he stopped her with his forefingers. "I'm not as strong as I was. With the man at the department store, I didn't know that he was watching us. I didn't even know that we were in danger at the restaurant. Claudette told me that she couldn't sense danger when she was pregnant. What if something had happened today? I wasn't on my _A_ game."

The thought had never occurred to him. Dr. Ludwig just seemed like the most palpable choice. She has treated so many different species, he just thought that she was the most obvious choice. Thoughtfully, Eric said, "Don't worry. We'll think of something." He then added, "I never thought that this would happen for us."

"What?"

"This," he said as he looked at her. "Me and you, the baby; I am a happily married vampire and we are having a child. A vampire and a fae are having a child." Soon, his face was blank.

"Tell me," Sookie ordered.

"Because of my stubbornness, I almost lost it all."

"But you didn't. We didn't. We still have each other." She smoothed down the front of his jacket once more before standing on her tiptoes and placing a kiss on his cool lips. Eric placed his hands on her hips and pulled her closer. He was enjoying the feel of her breasts as they pressed against his chest. She looked up at him and he selfishly treated himself to long, sweet, and delicious Sookie kiss. With each taste, her body ground harder against his. And just as always, his body responded to hers. His hardness stirred excitedly, almost impatiently for the simple feel of her wetness. Eric slid his hands from her hips to the curve of her perfectly round ass. He pulled her close; allowing her to feel his arousal even more.

Sookie giggled in his ear. "We just made love only an hour ago, Eric. Isn't that enough until later? You don't want too much of me too soon. I don't want you to tire of me."

As he nibbled his way to her neck, he said, "Who said that I'll ever tire of you? And for the record dear one, I'm not the one that's grinding against you. You were grinding against me. If I didn't know any better, I'd think that _you_ are the one that's trying to ply _me_ with sex."

She let her lips dance across Eric's. "Oh dear vampire, I don't have to ply you with sex. You're mine. You'll always be mine." She bit his bottom lip seductively but hard enough to taste the sweetest nectar she'd ever tasted. She moaned as the blood trickled down her throat.

He loved seeing her feed from him. He also loved hearing her say that he belonged to her. He'd always belong to her but being the vampire that he is, Eric needed to hear her return the sentiment. "Say it," he said.

"I'm yours, my dearest love. Heart and soul, I belong to no one but you," she said as she cupped his hardness in her hand. He closed his eyes at the feel of her hand but decided to use this opportunity to find out what is wrong with her.

"I'm glad to hear you say that, my lover. Now tell me what else is on your mind."

With her hand suddenly on his chest, Sookie pushed slightly away from his body and stared up at him. She said nothing.

"You were terrified when you came into the office this evening. You were trembling in my arms and don't tell me that it was because you were afraid of my reaction to finding out that we are pregnant. That wasn't it. Though you didn't know it, I've always kept my eyes on you. I know when something is bothering you and when something is not quite right. So tell me what's wrong?"

"But I …"

"Shut down the bond?" he finished. "As I said before, my lover, I know you."

"I went to Faery today," she blurted out.

Eric stiffened in her arms.

"But I didn't go."

He looked confused.

"But I was there."

He frowned. "What do you mean?"

"I don't even remember falling asleep. I'm not even sure if I was asleep but I was in the basement, The Unknown." Before he could ask what The Unknown is, she said, "I can't explain it. It's kind of like faeries wishes and dreams that didn't come to be but they want to be …they need to be but they never were. They're the dreams that don't want to fade away. Some of them become nightmares but mine was so real. I could feel the dampness and the cold concrete underneath my feet."

Eric looked confused; just as Sookie expected him to be.

"It's a faery thing."

For now, that was an explanation he was willing to accept. "What do you mean you could feel it? You could feel what?"

Sookie walked over to the bed and before she sat down, she smoothed down the back of her chartreuse off the shoulder dress and began rambling on about the nightmare as she slipped her feet into her shoes. "Everything. I could feel everything. I was in a cold concrete room. I'd been there before but not like that. Not as a prisoner. But I wasn't really a prisoner because the door to my cell was unlocked. I could hear footsteps outside of the cell and I could hear children screaming." She looked at Eric with wide and terrified eyes. "I only left the room because of the children. They were calling for their mommy but, Eric; there was no one in that basement but me and those children."

Eric sat down on the bed with her. "The footsteps; who did the footsteps belong to?"

"I don't know," she whispered.

He watched her closely and he could've sworn that she was back in the nightmare; back in the basement. It was as if she could hear the faceless footsteps all over again. She could hear the screaming children and she was looking at their faces. And just as she looked earlier tonight, Sookie was terrified.

"What did they do to you?" He held her hand and waited for her to tell him what happened.

"At first, I thought that something was after me and you because it kept trying to get me to call out to you but I wouldn't. Don't get me wrong; I wanted to call for you but this voice, grandmother's voice, told me not to. It wasn't safe for you there. I know in my heart that if I'd called you, Eric, I would've returned home alone; no you, no baby."

Eric was no longer sitting. He was standing and his fangs had descended.

She looked up at him and continued. "When I didn't call you, that's when I heard the children. They were calling for their mommy. I knew that I wasn't their mommy but I told them that I was coming. They sounded so helpless and alone at first but then ...then they changed."

"They wanted to cause harm to you …to our child?" The death and the coldness dripped from each word he'd spoken.

Sookie couldn't bear the idea of someone hurting their child. She couldn't speak as a silent sobs escaped her. She reached up and squeezed his hand. Eric pulled Sookie up from the bed and held her in his arms.

"When I found them," she continued, "they kept calling me their mommy. They were in a glass prison like thing. I told them that I wasn't their mommy. It angered them. They told me that I needed to let _it_ go because they are my children. They said that _it's_ not good for them. That _it_ isn't like them. The it that they were talking about is our baby. When I tried protecting our baby, hey became so evil and cruel. Their eyes were dead. They were trying to get out of the glass prison but couldn't. They were trying to get to the baby. They wanted to kill our baby. They wanted to take the baby's place, Eric. They want our baby dead so that they can be."

"It'll never happen," Eric said angrily. The wheels in his mind were spinning madly. He was coming up with plan after plan. He began stroking her head as she cried. "No, my lover; it'll never happen."

"I'm not strong enough anymore. While I'm pregnant, I'm not strong enough. What if they get me while you're at rest? What if Fintan is behind …?"

Eric stopped her in mid-sentence. "There are no what ifs. Do not fear, my love. I will protect you. Do you hear me? I'll protect you both. We'll get through this. Promise me that you won't despair."

"I promise," she whimpered.

Kissing her once more, he said, "Go and clean your face and I'll meet you downstairs. I'm going to make a couple of phone calls and as soon as you're ready, we'll meet up with our friends and celebrate our good fortune, okay?"

"I love you," Sookie said. Before she stood up from the bed, she called his name. "Eric?"

"Yes, lover."

"I'm not weak."

Eric looked surprised at her words. "I never said that you were. I've never believed you to be weak. What would make you say such nonsense?"

"The tears, the crying, the fear," she said. "I want you to know that I'm not weak."

"The tears, the crying, the fear; in my eyes, they make you strong. You are not afraid to come to me for help. You shouldn't be and you shouldn't feel weak because you have to come to your husband for anything."

"What will the others think of me? They _saw_ me crying."

"Who cares what they think or what they saw?"

"I'm a fae; a Brigant. I'm a faery princess. I cannot be weak. This chink in my armor is unacceptable. I'm not supposed to be weak but …." She didn't finish the sentence. "I just can't handle this alone."

"We all have fears, Sookie and they don't make us weak."

"You're only saying this because you love me."

"I'm saying this because it's true. You could've kept this to yourself and told me nothing but you didn't. It doesn't matter that you were crying or that you are telling me through tears. What matters is that you came to me. I love and respect you for that. Even after all we've been through, you came to me."

"I do love you."

"Good," he replied. "Now you go and get cleaned up so that we can go."

She kissed him before getting up from the bed and going to the bathroom to wash her face.

As soon as Sookie was out of sight, Eric pulled his cell phone out and began dialing. Pam answered on the third ring just as he reached his office door.

"Yes, Eric. I've called everyone. They're going to be there at 10:00. They know that excuses for not showing up will not be accepted. Some of them tried to get there yesterday but they may not be able to make it. Oh, I do have one message for you. Claudette said that she's coming because of Sookie and not because you tried to order her around. And she told me to tell you thanks for ruining her date."

Eric ignored everything that she said. "Call Brendan."

Pam couldn't believe what she was hearing. "What?" she asked surprised. "Are you fucking kidding me?"

"Does he still want a meeting?"

Pam nodded as if Eric could see through the phone.

"Answer me," he ordered. "Does he still want a meeting?"

"Sure but why do you want to meet with him? He's never been a big supporter of your marriage. What are you up to?"

"Tell him that I will speak with him."

"Are you not going to answer my question? Why are you willing to …?"

"Enough!" he yelled. "Do as I've ordered you to do and don't question me again."

Pam immediately humbled herself. "Yes, master."

"Call me back in ten minutes and give me the update."

Eric hung up without a goodbye. His next call was to the Ancient Pythoness. Unlike Pam, she answered on the first ring.

"Northman," she purred into the phone. "What took you so long? I've been waiting for your call."


	41. Chapter 41

A Marriage of Inconvenience?

**I've incorporated another vampire into the story and her name is Selene. I love the Underworld books and movies and I love Selene. I love that she is strong and that she is a fighter and I thought that she would be the perfect type to protect our favorite couple ...or is she? So, I've decided to use a Selene type character in the story. She does not belong to me but she does belong to Greg Cox. The other main characters belong to CH but the story idea is mine.**

* * *

The AP's prediction of what was to happen next in his and Sookie's life surprised Eric. It had never occurred to him that the baby has set forth changes that they would have never expected but it is something that he has always wanted. It's something _they've_ always wanted. He and Sookie had just spoken of this only a short while ago but never to the degree that the AP had suggested. He's always known that the alliance with the fae was a great one but this ...this was monumental. It has changed everything. Knowing that their future has been altered called for immediate and drastic action. He pulled Sookie closer into his body as he pondered the path that has been laid out before them.

"What are you thinking about, baby?" Sookie asked Eric.

He looked down at her and smiled. "Our lives and the great changes that lay before us," he answered.

Sookie readily snuggled into his body; never letting on that she knew that something was bothering him. He'd been preoccupied since they left home. She knew that it had to be something big but she didn't know what it was. Secretly, she didn't want to know what was going on. Her senses aren't what they should be. Her emotions are out of whack and there was nothing that she could do about it. With that being said, she had a feeling that he was going to tell her anyway. No more secrets, right? With her head resting on his shoulder, she sighed as she looked out at the city night through the tinted windows of the black SUV. In order to get her mind off of the night's distraction, she wondered about the other occupants in the SUVs that were leading them and following them.

As the SUV that carried Eric and Sookie sped along, they were being led and followed by two matching black Cadillac Escalades. They were loaded down with the vampire bodyguards that Eric called into duty. They were the most loyal of his retinue. They'd been with him for centuries and he trusted them with their lives. So far there were fifteen guarding the house and thirteen going out with them tonight. Eric had called in every favor that was owed to him and to Sookie. Alcide has agreed to have his most experienced Weres on guard for Sookie during the daylight hours. Sam agreed to lend his shifters as blend ins. No one but Eric, Sookie and Claudette will know who they are. Eric had gone all out. Sookie wanted to tell him that it was too much but she'd given him her word that she wouldn't complain. She was going to go along with it and smile as brightly as possible. She didn't even argue when three other vampires rode along with them to meet their friends at Bloody Goodness.

Clancy drove while Chow rode shotgun. A female vampire name Selene rode in back with Eric and Sookie. Sookie had never met her before but she appeared to be quite efficient at her job. She was the one that was in charge of everything. No one moved without her approval. They did _nothing_ without her approval. Before they'd left the compound, she'd made sure that everyone was well armed and well prepared. She even decided what they were going to wear. They wore what they wanted. She didn't want them looking like security. She wanted them to look like everyday vampires; vampires that were at Bloody Goodness to have a good time. There were no shades worn at night and they didn't have those little cords hanging from their ears. Sookie was pleased with how organized they were and told Selene as much. Eric praised Selene for doing such a great job on such short notice. She beamed from ear to ear.

Everything she'd ever done has been for her master. That's why when he asked her to lead his security team she jumped at the chance. She was going to keep a watchful eye on him and his fae bride. She was more than happy to start that very night even if it was on short notice. She has never said no to Eric and she wasn't going to start. She wanted to please her master. She knew that he believed her to be the best of the best. She would let no enemy get past her. She would keep her master and his wife safe at all costs.

Selene kept a watchful eye on Eric and Sookie. She noticed how he never stopped touching her. She noticed how Sookie was practically sitting in his lap. She wondered how a vampire could love a faery. She wondered how a vampire could love anyone at all. Selene could understand how he was intrigued by Sookie because everyone that came in contact with her seemed to focus all of their attentions on her. All faeries had that effect on vampires but Sookie's was different. She had that effect on all supes. Her eyes sparkles just for that supe when she looked at that supe. Her smile was especially made for that supe when she smiles at that supe. She smelled sweeter. Her essence was stronger than any faery that Selene has ever met. Sookie could pull a supe or a human into her web with a single word; a glance. She was just so much more than any faery that Selene had ever come across.

As she looked harder at Sookie and Eric, Selene noticed that they looked different; a lot different from what they looked like when she last saw them. It was obvious that they are in love with each other but it is more than that. Their hair is the same color. Their eyes are the same shade of blue. Selene began to wonder if they were even a couple anymore. It was as if they'd melded into one being. Sookie would trace her finger over Eric's face and he would shudder. He would actually shudder.

'_Amazing_,' she thought to herself.

Though her face was vacant, her mind was spinning with this bit of information. She didn't understand how a faery has bonded a vampire to _her_. Eric is over a thousand years old. It was as if he had been bamboozled and hoodwinked. She didn't get to think on that too much longer because something suddenly caught her attention. They had reached their destination and she needed her crew to make sure that all was safe for her master and his wife.

"Stop the cars," she barely said above a whisper. The vampires in all three cars heard her. Eric protectively wrapped his arms around Sookie. She nestled closer into his side.

"Is there a problem?" Sookie asked her; keeping her hand on his lap.

"No, ma'am," Selene said as she opened the door. When she stepped out of the car, she looked at Eric and said, "Master, stay here and wait while we patrol the area. We'll let you know when it is safe for you to emerge. It won't take long."

Sookie was instantly offended. She removed herself from the comfort of Eric's arms and sat tall. She watched Selene as she slammed the car door. "Did you see how she ignored me? She could've included me with that bit of information but she didn't. She acted as if I wasn't here." She shook her head. "I don't think I'm going to like this at all." She huffed and crossed her arms over her chest and pouted. "I'll bet that it's because I'm a faery. Even though we've made a lot of changes in our society, some vampires still resent us; especially since I'm married to you. You're powerful and handsome. Hmpf, she's probably one of those vixen vampires that wants you for herself." She stared at the closed car door.

Eric looked at his wife and smiled. "You know very well that's not true. She has nothing against you. She's been told to direct all concerns to me. You in your delicate state. We're going to do this together, remember? You agreed. My goal is to keep you safe." He devotedly placed his hand on her stomach as he leaned in and kissed her. "_You_ are what matters."

"I know," she said. She returned her head back to his shoulder. Sookie was glad with what Eric had told her. She wasn't up to doing any of what Eric was doing. She was glad that she didn't have deal with any of it.

Eric kissed the top of her head as they waited.

Selene tapped three times on the window before opening the back door to the black Escalade. "A few more minutes, Master and the perimeter will be safe enough for your exit."

Clancy and Chow were standing outside of the SUV and they were patiently waiting for their queue. The other underdressed vampires lingered around them as they looked out into the night for any hidden dangers. There were vampires underneath the burgundy and gold awning. There were vampires everywhere. They were lurking in every direction. They were in the background as they watched. They blurred from here to there. When Malachi gave Selene the nod, she motioned for Eric and Sookie to get out of the car.

Eric slid elegantly out of the SUV and held out a hand to help Sookie from the car. Sookie emerged and she was beaming. She smiled at each vampire that stood before them. They bowed to her without pause. Eric puffed his chest out with pride with the knowledge that every vampire that was seeing his wife wanted her. Selene watched the way her master catered to his faery wife; his faery princess. He acted as if she _needed_ his help; as if she couldn't get along with him and he couldn't make it without her.

She hated it.

There was nothing sweet about the way he waited on her. The way he kissed her, the way he held her in the curve of his arm; it angered her. It angered her to see such a strong and powerful vampire bending to the will of a faery. The other vampires smiled as they watched him with her. Each '_hi_' or '_hello_' that she spoke was like the sweetest taste of blood to them. Some of them smiled. Some of them almost blushed. It was a sad sight to see but Eric was the worst. There was nothing sweet about how he catered to her. They didn't make a beautiful couple. They made an embarrassing couple. Their laughter wasn't infectious. If anything, it was nauseating and it was even more nauseating to see them together. One thing that she does agree with is that the faery is beautiful. Her chartreuse dress did look beautiful against her tanned skin. The split showed all that her legs were shapely. They curved beautifully in the chartreuse colored stilettos. Selene wasn't dead …exactly. She would've fucked the faery princess. She would've fed from her and drained her of every drop of her sweet nectar.

Eric nuzzled her neck as they walked along the carpeted walkway and said, "I want to make love to you right now."

Sookie laughed seductively. "You just wait until I get you home, baby. I'm going to do things to you that you've never known."

Every fang clicked into place.

"They all desire you," Eric whispered into her ear. "But you are mine."

"I am yours."

Eric couldn't contain himself any longer. He pulled Sookie into his body and kissed her as if it was going to be the last time. Selene stood back by the SUV and watched the spectacle that Eric was making of himself. Didn't he realize that he was putting himself in danger? He was being too forward with the faery. No vampire is to show their weakness and there he was parading along with his on his arm. She couldn't believe that the vampire that she'd admired for over 500 years was wrapped around the little finger of a faery princess. How could Eric have fallen in love with her …with anyone? It was only yesterday (sarcastically) that he ignored her …acted as if she didn't exist. Selene couldn't help but wonder what had happened in just these few short weeks. That faery had singlehandedly destroyed the vampire that Selene had once worshiped.

"Selene?" Sookie called out as she stepped out of Eric's arms. She placed her hand on the black pole that was beside her. "You are coming with us, aren't you?"

Selene looked at Sookie and grinned. "Yes, ma'am," she answered sweetly. "Right behind you." She laughed briefly as she stepped onto the gold carpeted walkway. Suddenly Sookie screamed.

She removed her burning and blistering hand from the black pole. A pain she'd never known coursed through her body and over her skin. She crumpled to the ground instantly. Eric had her in his arms almost instantly.

"My skin's burning!" she exclaimed. She screamed louder and louder. Her hand began to blister. Steam was coming from her burning hand.

Every vampire guard was on edge. They were ready to protect, kill, and/or die for their master and their mistress. Every vampire within the vicinity surrounded Sookie and Eric. Their backs were to them and their weapons were aimed and ready. There was only one vampire was brave enough to try and lay hands on the faery princess.

When Clancy went to the faery princess's side, Eric was no longer a powerful vampire figure. He was a husband. Clancy went flying through the air when Eric pushed him away from her. He then crouched down and was in attack mode. His fangs were in full view. Every vampire within 100 feet of Sookie stepped away. Eric scooped her up in his arms and blurred through the open door.

"You come with me," Selene pointed to Chow. "The rest of you patrol this area. Astrid, find out when they changed the poles from black stainless steel to black wrought iron. Report back to me instantly. Kinsey, you check on Clancy. He went flying over there somewhere." Selene pointed off the left as she and Chow hurried inside. They blurred down the long hallway and to the private room that had been prepared for Sookie and Eric's arrival. They were soon surrounded by the sounds of music and far away voices but they heard none of the noise. Eric gently placed his wife on the first banquette that he saw.

Selene and Chow watched as Eric nursed his wife back to health. They watched as he fed her his blood. Selene glanced at Chow and she saw just as much concern on his face as she saw on Eric's. What the fuck was going on?

"_Everyone loves this faery_," Selene thought.

Claudette suddenly came bursting in the private room. Selene instantly went on the defensive and blurred in between the faery and the lovers. Claudette's sword suddenly appeared at her side.

"Come on, vampire," she ordered. "Let us see who dies first."

As Eric stroked Sookie's hair and looked into her eyes, he told Selene to stand down. "She's family." He then lovingly kissed Sookie's forehead.

Selene's face remained emotionless though she was angry. She did as her master ordered and apologized to Claudette; that, she did on her own. Her fangs rescinded as Claudette's sword disappeared. Selene went back to the other side of the room. Claudette joined her cousin and Eric. Though the burns weren't too severe, it scared Claudette. She only had Sookie and Cici. She couldn't lose them. She'd have nothing; absolutely nothing. A warm tear fell onto Sookie's face.

In broken words, Sookie began speaking. "You …stop …that... I'm …fine…I'm …healing."

Claudette couldn't speak for fear of sobbing so she nodded her okay.

"Eric," Sookie said feebly.

He smiled down at her before lightly kissing her lips. "Yes, my lover. I'm here."

"It …was …iron... It …hasn't (swallowed)…always …been …iron… I've …been …here …before…Never …happened ...before ...now (swallowed)… I …didn't …wear …my…"

Eric looked at Selene. "Already taken care of. Astrid is on it," she said only loud enough for him to hear. He nodded and returned his attention back to Sookie.

Claudette's kissed Sookie's face. "Don't worry, cousin. I always have a way of getting extra." With a snap of her fingers, she had the protective covering that Sookie needed.

As Claudette protected her cousin's skin, Eric continued to fawn over her. Touch her. Tell her how much he loves her. Kiss her. Assure her. Caress her.

Selene was disgusted and ashamed of the spectacle that he was making of himself. She couldn't stand this embarrassing scene too much longer. She was going to turn her back on this debacle but before she could, a pair of deadly green eyes was watching her; Claudette's. She turned back to her cousin and patted her hand. Sookie turned away from Eric and looked at Cissy.

"Thank you," Sookie said.

"Better?" Claudette asked.

"Much," Sookie answered. She then turned back to Eric. She was trying to sit up and he was trying to keep her on the banquette. Needless to say, she and Eric argued about whether or not they needed to go home and postpone the get together or to stay and party with their friends. Claudette walked away as she shook her head at the couple.

She approached Selene and said, "I'm Claudette."

"So I've heard."

She looked Selene up and down. "I noticed how you watch them. You don't like that he's with her do you?"

"I have no opinion. I am here to serve my master."

"Hmmm," Claudette said. "Don't you have something better to do?"

"Not that it's any of your business," Selene started, "I am here to protect my master and his wife. I need for you to let me do my job."

Claudette's giggle sounded like bells but there was nothing magical or friendly about it. "Well it doesn't look like they need your protection in here." She spread her arms out wide and nodded. "No, I'd say that we pretty much have it locked down. You can return outside and patrol the grounds. You're no longer needed."

Claudette's sword suddenly appeared and it shimmered brightly at the anticipation of a fight. A hand touched Claudette's shoulder. It was Sookie's.

"Put it away, Claudette. She's doing as Eric told her. I'm fine. We're fine. Our friends will be here soon and then everyone will be fine."

Claudette glanced over her shoulder at Sookie. She returned her gaze to Selene. The sword disappeared but the unease remained.

"Fine," Claudette said. "Are you sure that you're okay?"

"I'm fine. Eric healed me. But do you know what's going to make me feel even better?"

"What's that?" Claudette asked as she rolled her eyes.

"Your apology to Selene," Sookie said sweetly.

Claudette turned around and looked at Sookie. "You've got to be joking! I am _NOT_ going to tell her …"

"Please," Sookie asked.

"No," Claudette protested.

Sookie leaned her head to the right and stared at her Cissy; saying nothing.

"Good grief, you make me sick. If I didn't love you, I'd probably strangle you within an inch of your life." Claudette looked at Selene and said, "Sorry."

Selene smirked. "Is that all I get?"

"You fucking vamp bi…!"

"Claudette," Sookie said.

Claudette rolled her eyes. "I apologize. I meant no harm but I do love my cousin. You disturbed me and you gave off a bad vibe. I was only reacting to you. But," Claudette added in a sinister way. "If you rub me the wrong way again, expect the same reaction."

Sookie knew that was good of an apology that Selene was going to get so she left it alone. She thanked her cousin with a kiss.

"Maybe it was you," Selene finally said to Claudette. "My vibe was just fine. I was ready to fight for my master and his wife. I was ready to kill if he'd told me to. And to let you know, sweetie," Selene added. "If you react in such a manner again, _I_ will be ready."

Before they could say anything else to each other, Sookie pulled Claudette away from Selene. "Come on and let's go dancing. I feel as if I could dance all night long."

"I thought that you and Eric were going to make an announcement of some sort." She waggled her eyebrows knowingly. "Isn't that why we had to be here so damned urgently? I thought that I was going to have to end my date but …." She raised her eyebrows and smiled complacently.

"Your date's here?" Sookie was excited.

Before Claudette could answer Sookie, the vampire bodyguard interrupted them. "Ma'am," Selene said from behind the Brigant ladies.

"Yes, Selene," Sookie answered.

"If you're going to the dance floor, I'll need to go with you. You can't go out there alone."

"And she eavesdrops!" Claudette exclaimed. "You nosy ...!"

Turning away from, Selene, Sookie said to her cousin, "Stop it, Claudette. You know all about vampire hearing."

Sookie was about to deny Selene's request but Claudette stopped her. "I may not like her, Sookie, but Selene is right. You can't go out there without extra protection."

"Okay," Sookie said to Selene. "Let me tell Eric where we'll be and I'll be right back."

She pulled Claudette along with her while Selene stayed behind. She watched as Sookie went to Eric. When he found out that she'd be dancing without him, he didn't like it. His face actually dropped. His eyes clouded over. He told her that he wanted her to save the first dance for him and he didn't want her out there on that crowded dance floor without him. It wasn't safe for her.

Selene smiled because she just knew that the faery was going to protest. She definitely expected a fight. Faeries never give up their will without a fight but she was in for a surprise. She was wrong. Sookie gladly bent to Eric's will. It was as if she didn't want to leave him in the first place. It was as if she'd made the suggestion to dance only to calm her cousin. Though the dance floor was only a few feet away, they didn't want to be away from each other.

Sookie apologized to her cousin. "I can't go. If he wants to dance with me first, I just have to disappoint you, dear cousin."

"Whatever," Claudette said. She kissed Sookie on the lips and smiled. "My date's out there waiting on me anyway. Too bad you two won't meet each other." She then looked at Eric and said, "Call me when the others get here." She then kissed Eric on the cheek and danced her way out of the room.

Eric stood up from the banquette and let Sookie slide in. He sat closely beside her. He was about to lean in for a kiss when a familiar voice interrupted them. It was Sal.

Eric stood up and offered Sal a seat. "Sit, my friend, and join us."

Smiling, Sookie said, "It's so good to see you again. I hope that you've been well."

"I've been doing great, my friend. I hope that all is well with you." Sal remembered that something was not quite right with Sookie on the night of the gathering. He looked concerned but said nothing else because there were too many ears amongst them.

"I'll take care of it," Eric said. "Selene."

Within seconds, she was standing beside him. "Yes, Master."

"Have you heard anything yet?"

"Not yet, no."

"Have someone change those poles out there, tonight. Tell the owner that I will take care of the fees. Make sure that it has been done before we leave here _tonight_. Have the guards patrol the grounds for the remainder of the night. You make sure that what I've requested is done. I want the one that did this found. And Selene?"

"Yes, Master."

"Let no unsavory characters enter."

"As you wish," she said.

Selene blurred away. She did everything he asked of her. Though she was angry at his antics, she was determined to please him. She was also determined to figure out what was so fucking special about that faery princess wife of his.


	42. Chapter 42

**A Marriage of Inconvenience?**

**Thank you all so much for the reviews, alerts, and the favorites. I hope that you all keep reading and enjoying the ride. As always, the main characters and a few of the side characters belong to CH and the Selene character belongs to Mr. Cox. The story idea belongs to me. Again, thank you so much. I will try to post as many chapters as I can so that I can concentrate on my 'I Remember You' story. I've written two chapters of that but the chapters are so long that I have a lot of editing to do. So please, please bear with me on that story and I will get it up and running once again. **

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"You two are looking quite happy tonight. It always a joy of mine to be in the presence of love. To what do I owe this pleasure?" Sal asked the canoodling lovers. It made his dead heart feel alive when he was in the presence of true love. It made him remember the time when he once knew love and love knew him ...or so he thought.

Sookie and Eric tore their eyes from each other and turned to Sal. Sookie could feel the change in Sal but she held her tongue. Eric was her first concern. She knew that whatever was bothering Eric, Sal could help him with it. She also knew that he didn't want to upset her because he hadn't told her ahead of time that he needed Sal's help. She saw it in his face when Sal walked in the door. So, she did what any good wife would do. She helped him.

Sookie placed her hand atop Eric's and said, "Eric needs your help, don't you?"

He squeezed her leg gently with his hand. He didn't know that she knew that anything was on his mind. He'd remained stoic and calm. He made sure not to show any emotion. He didn't realize how obvious he'd been. He'd kept his feelings hidden or so he'd thought. Being married to a faery princess made it hard to keep some things to himself.

"I know you," she whispered.

"Yes you do," he said. He back to Sal and reworded Sookie's previous statement. "_We_ need your help."

Sookie looked at Eric and asked, "Do you think that we should tell him?"

Looking into her eyes, he said, "It is not only my choice, lover. This does not only affect my life. It affects us both. The final decision lies with you."

She looked at Sal and thought long and hard about what they needed to say to him. She didn't know what was on Eric's mind. She just knows that something is bothering him and it's important enough to change his mood. It had to have been life changing for Sal to be the first one to show up; the only one to show up so far. She also knew that Sal was in love with Eric's child and his enemy; their enemy.

"Sookie?"

She looked at Eric and smiled. "Eric trusts you. He loves you." She leaned forward, still holding Eric's hand. "What we are about to tell you is of the utmost importance. If you betray us, _I _will kill you. I will not shed a tear of regret. I will not back down from the promise to that I have just made. If you betray us, I will kill you." Sookie looked at Eric after she'd made her promise to Sal.

Sal sat back in his seat and looked at Sookie. He laughed. "You are a spitfire, little one. Women like you always seem to please me. No wonder my son loves you." He then did something that is forbidden. He placed his hand on top of hers and said, "Whatever my son needs of me, no matter what it is, I will provide. _Nothing and no one _will keep me from being there when he needs me... when _you_ need me. There was no need for those words to pass your lips for I will not betray you."

She looked at his hand and then at him. "I believe you. We're pregnant. We're going to have the baby that is going to change our lives …and not always for the better. There are some that will not be pleased when they learn of this." Sookie then looked at Eric and said, "Is that why we need his help?"

"Yes," he said as he turned to face Sal. "I spoke with the Pythoness tonight."

Now that part surprised Sookie. She had no idea that one of the phone calls that he had to make was to Andromeda. Why would have to call her? They had nothing to discuss.

Eric continued speaking. "She told me that our futures have changed. She said that in order for our family to prosper, to survive, there is something that we must do. Unfortunately, we can't do it alone. We need the help of our friends."

Sookie was surprised. "You spoke with Andromeda? Is that the reason for the silence earlier this evening?"

Sal's eye widened. He was unable to hide his surprise at the fact that Sookie had called the AP Andromeda. No one calls her by her human name; not even behind her back. Somehow she heard and saw everything.

Eric chuckled. "That was my expression when I heard her say the name as well."

"No one calls the ancient one by her given name without surely suffering some form of punishment or the true death." Looking at Sookie, he said, "What did you do to her?"

"Nothing, really," she answered. "I was nice and friendly but right now that doesn't really matter. What I'd like to know is why my husband called her." This time her eyes were as wide as Sal's when she looked at Eric. "Is it because you question whether or not the baby …?"

"Never," Eric answered as he looked into her eyes. "Never say that."

She wrapped her arms around his neck. "Okay, okay," she sighed. "I'm going to take Chow with me to find Claudette and her mystery date."

"You don't have to go," Eric replied hurriedly. "You can stay here with me. This involves both of us; not just me."

She placed her hand softly to his face. "No, my dearest love; it's not meant for me to be involved with this. Not now. Not yet." She gently rested her hand to her stomach.

Sookie knew this statement to be true but in all fairness, she didn't want to know what was going on or what was going to happen. She didn't want to know what Eric and Sal were going to talk about. She didn't want to know who was going to be involved just so as long as she wasn't. She knew that if she knew any of what Eric was going to tell Sal, she would want to be involved. Even if her gifts are off, she would stand with her husband; live or die but she couldn't do that now. She is pregnant and it's not about what she would do. Sookie stood up from the banquette and both vampires stood up with her.

"What you're going to talk about is a good thing, right? It doesn't involve danger or the risk of you getting killed, does it?"

Eric only stared at her.

"Nothing's going to happen to him," Sal replied. "I promise."

"Thank you, Sal but I need to hear Eric say it."

Eric's face remained blank and expressionless. "The talk is going to be a good talk. I will not be in danger. I promise."

She almost believed him …almost. She stood on her tiptoes and kissed him. She didn't say anything else to him. She almost wanted to call Andromeda but she wouldn't. She couldn't. She'd be no good for him; not in battle.

"Chow," she whispered.

Instantly, he was standing behind her. "I'm ready, mistress."

Sookie looked out into the bar. Something was going to happen. She could see the blackness. It was strong and it was angry. She looked at Eric and asked, "After your meeting, can we go home? I got a feeling that I'm not going to be up to dancing. I'm going to be really tired."

His posture changed. Eric was in fighting mode and he was ready to kill. "Do you sense danger? Is it the baby? Are you …?"

"No," she replied. "I'll be fine. I'm just not sure if I'm going to be up for celebrating later."

Before she and Chow left, Eric said, "I'll be watching you, my lover." He pointed at the two way mirror that sat perfectly behind him.

The loving gaze that he bestowed upon her caused every nerve in her body to wake up. She had to compel herself to leave him. She felt the invisible strings pulling at her even though she hadn't stepped away from him. The need to be with him gave off a fierce heat and he knew it.

"I expect you would, my dearest love but rest assured, I'll be fine. I have Chow with me. Isn't that right, Chow?"

"Yes, mistress." Eric never doubted the vampire for a second. He knew that Chow would lay down his life for them; especially for Sookie.

"See?" she asked. She blew him a kiss before leading Chow out into the bar.

He smiled a slow and lazy smile that almost pulled her back to his side. She wanted to be with him in every way. His eyes were drinking in every inch of her as she walked away. She had to catch her breath and turn away from him. She took a few steps away before she could face him again. When she'd made the long trek to the doorway, she waved him over her shoulder.

Eric watched Sookie as she and Chow left the VIP lounge. He was suddenly struck by an ugly emotion; jealousy. Though they already knew it, he wanted every supe in the building to know that Sookie is his wife. He wanted to brand her with his bite but he would never do that. He'd always made two promises to himself; never leave a bite mark on her body and to never turn her. Even if she was near death, he would never want her to lose her the life that makes her Sookie. Even without the bite marks, she was his and only his. The sway of her hips; they sway only for him. Those twinkles in her eyes; his and his alone. The prim and proper wife that they see walking across the floor is an exotic animal in the bedroom and she is his. She is all his. His fangs fell into place as his sweet Sookie faded into the dancing crowd.

"Eric."

Eric blinked himself back into the moment. "Forgive my rudeness, Sal. Sookie …she …she does things to me."

Sal laughed. "It's clear that you're a vampire in love. I've been there. I've done that but your Sookie; she is quite the astonishing creature. How many faeries would have the courage to threaten a 3,000 year old vampire?" Both vampires laughed before Sal spoke again. "I, for one, am happy for you, my son. Love is all that matters in this world. You remember that." A faraway look took over his eyes.

"I will."

Sal patted Eric on his shoulder just as the two vampires were seated. "Now tell me what it is that you need from me."

"You were at the last vampire council meeting. The laws, the borders of the states; the laws are decreasing but the borders are increasing. The kings and queens of the states are becoming greedier and greedier. The more the council gives them, the more they want. It's getting harder and harder for Sookie and me because some of the vampire monarchs don't want to listen. When we hand down the rulings of the council members, they become agitated and defensive. Many of them are trying to take what doesn't belong to them. And this is because of the change that is going on within the council.

"Andromeda said that several weeks ago, Andre Paul was attacked by an unknown enemy. He was bitten with silver tipped teeth and he is on his last leg. She said that it has not been publicized but they won't be able to hide it for too much longer. She believes that some of them are fully aware of the changes in the council. She said that they can't keep coming up with excuses. Pretty soon, the kings and queens are going to want to know why Andre is no longer attending the council meetings. They are going to want to know why his second is sitting in for him. The AP said that he has missed the last two private meetings. The vampire, Andre' Paul is getting weaker and weaker.

"The poisoning that he's suffered from is never going to heal. All of his children have met the true death. His maker is long gone and his second, Sophie Ann LeClerque, is not of his blood and she is not as strong as Andre was. She's a poor replacement for him. Andromeda said that pretty soon, he may be forced into meeting the true death but until that time comes, he's taking up space. And you know just as well as I do that as soon as it's known that he's not as strong as he used to be, a vampire is going to take him and his second out." Eric leaned back in his seat and stared at Sal; waiting.

"And the AP let you know all of this? Without prodding?"

"Yes."

Sal was more than intrigued with what Eric had informed him of. He's always believed that Eric has it in him to be an excellent leader. He just never knew that he would ever take it upon himself to prove his abilities. It pleased him that the baby and his wife have put a little fire under his ass.

Throwing his arm over the back of the banquette and resting his ankle on his knee he told Eric to proceed. "Tell me what this means for you and your wife."

Eric would have been uncomfortable with having this conversation with anyone other than Sal. Every word would have been used against him and he would've been punished for even thinking of what he was about to say. "I want to run the council with Sookie at my side. I'm sorry to say this but Andre's time has run out. The clock is ticking and I'm that clock. I want this, Sal. I need this. I have to protect what's mine."

Sal knew what Eric meant. As soon as their baby is born, Eric and Sookie's life is in danger. It will be open season on them. The baby means more power for them because there's never been a vampire/fae hybrid born to this world. Supes will not be happy to know that the already powerful Viking and his faery princess could possibly rule this world. As soon as their enemies find out about the baby and Andre Paul, they all will have targets on their heads. Eric and Sookie will be at the mercy of the new leader of the council.

Andre approved the marriage of the fae and the vampire. When Adele approached the council with her request, they jumped at the chance. He and the AP said that it would be the most important union in the supe world and if it gets out that he's sick, the union will be destroyed and Sookie and Eric will no longer be.

"I believe that this little arrangement will benefit all involved. You and I already have strong personal bond. The professional bond would be just as strong if not stronger," Eric concluded.

Without so much as a thought, Sal responded to Eric's request. "I will stand with you. You needn't worry. I am with you."

Eric did a very human thing. He pumped his fists and almost cheered. After composing himself, he said, "Thank you, my friend. I want you to know that my only goal, the only reason that I am doing this is because I have to protect my family and we need to get control of that council. If we can control the council, our lives will change for the better and I don't mean just for us vampires. This will be a step in the right direction for all supes."

Eric snapped his fingers and little man with a little tuxedo suddenly appeared. He was carrying a tray that held two bottles of Grand Royale blood. He placed the bottles on the table along with two glasses on the glass topped table. After he filled the glasses with the blood, he was gone just as quickly as he appeared.

"We can get members of the most prominent packs to join us. We can rule this world together, north, south, east, west; vampires, faeries, Weres, and shifters. Do you know what we could do with this world …for our world? If we ruled together, not only would Sookie and I prosper but _all_ of us."

Sal could see the plans and ideas as they formed in Eric's mind. He also knew that Eric had the Weres, faeries, and shifters in mind that he wanted to use. Those that he trusts the most will be the ones that will stand with them. They would flourish.

"Perfect," Sal finally said. "Absolutely perfect. And the AP has foreseen this?"

"Yes. She told me that this is our destiny; my and Sookie's. When she and Adele first approached me with the idea of marrying Sookie, they said that our union would change the supe world for the better. Adele has always said that Sookie and I are destined to be and our future would be more than anyone could have expected. She was right."

Sal realized that the vampire that he loves as his own son is a fucking genius. If they could get the most loyal of the circle to follow them, they would be unbeatable; especially with the AP backing them. Sal looked at Eric and filled the private room with laughter.

"I've always been quite fond of the west coast."

The vampires lifted their glasses of blood to one another and toasted to their futures.

As Eric sipped on his blood, Sal looked at him over his glass and said, "I'm sorry to ruin the mood but there is something that I must tell you. I talked to Freyda."

Eric looked at Sal and waited to hear what it was that he had to say and from the look on Sal's face it was going to be a doozy. "Okay," Eric said. "I'm all ears."

"There is something that you and I need to talk about, my son."


	43. Chapter 43

**A Marriage of Inconvenience?**

**I apologize for the delay but I was updating my other story. As usual, I would like to thank you all for your reviews, alerts, and favorites of my stories. The story and side characters belong to me. Selene belongs to Mr. Cox and the SVM characters belong to CH.**

**Enjoy**

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Selene watched Sookie as she sat at the bar and watched the patrons dance and enjoy their night of fun. She didn't even seem too disappointed in the fact that Claudette and her mystery date have mysteriously vanished. So instead of moping about, she and Chow talked. Whatever she said to him must have been the funniest thing he'd ever heard because he doubled over from laughter. Selene has never seen a vampire laugh as he did.

When he was able to contain himself, he would lean in and say something to Sookie; his body careful to not touch her. Soon after he finished speaking, she would laugh just as hard he did. They truly seemed to be enjoying each other's company. Selene was so deep in her observation of the princess and the vampire that she didn't notice Sookie staring at her. She beckoned Selene over to where she and Chow were sitting.

Selene blurred her way to where they were. She expected to be reprimanded for not being on her 'A' game. The fae are notorious for expecting perfection from everyone and that means everyone. They think that they are perfect so they naturally assume that everyone else has to be. Selene braced herself for the tongue lashing that she expected. Once again, she didn't get what she was waiting for.

"Are you enjoying the night?" Sookie asked her.

"Yes, ma'am," Selene responded. "I have the reports on the iron bars and the doorman. Neave and Lochlan have arrived with the update for you and the master."

"That's good to hear," Sookie answered.

"They left about ten minutes ago. I can give you the information now or I can wait and tell you and Eric at the same time. Whichever is best for you," she added. She almost smirked because she just knew that she couldn't be wrong about Sookie three times in one night. She is just like the rest of fae. She is going to want to know now. Fuck Eric; Sookie is going to tell him when she wants him to know.

"Eric's going to love hearing that. As soon as his meeting is over, you can go on in there and tell him any and all information that you have. Thank you for your prompt attention to the matter."

Fuck; Selene couldn't believe what she was hearing. Is everything that she'd ever learned about the fae nothing more than lies; especially the faery princess? She is notoriously known for being headstrong and for the incessant need of being in control. She's never been one to relinquish her will to anyone but tonight Sookie has done just that. What the fuck is going on with this faery? Why is she so different than the rest? By goodness, Selene is determined that she is going to find out.

"Seriously?" she asked. "You don't want to know?"

Sookie sincerely didn't want to know. She smiled at Selene and said, "I don't. I have complete faith in my husband and you guys. If he trusts you enough to guard our lives then I have nothing to worry about. I know that you all can more than handle it."

Chow stood tall and proud as he basked in Sookie's compliment. Selene's bottom was soon on a bar stool. She could no more surprises. Everything that she'd ever believed about the fae was no more than faery tales. She must have had a funny look on her face because Sookie laughed at the vampire.

"I'm not all bad," Sookie said.

Selene looked at her and said, "That's not what I …."

"It's okay," Sookie interrupted. "It's fine. Even though Eric and I have made a quite a few changes in our world, many supes find it hard to trust the fae. The wars are over but the skepticism is still there. It's more than understandable. I don't fault you."

"I just thought … I just don't … it's hard…." Selene tried stringing her words together but she couldn't seem to form a sentence. For the first time since being a vampire, she was stunned beyond words.

Chow leaned down to whisper in Sookie's ear; again, careful not touch her. "Selene's the first stuttering vamp I've ever met."

He and Sookie filled the already loud bar with laughter. Selene sat stone faced. She didn't like being ridiculed and she wasn't going to fall for the charms of the faery princess. It wasn't real. It's all a part of the contract. This is how she's supposed to act in public. She's manipulated all supes into trusting her and in believing in her. That friendly smile, that sweet scent; it is a ploy to get them all to fall for her charms and her outstanding wit. Selene could feel Sookie looking at her. It was almost as if she heard every single she was thinking.

Sookie smiled. "Would you like a blood or have you already had a donor? I hear that they have the best donors here."

"No, ma'am. I've already sampled one of their donors. Thank you."

"Eric loves their bottled …."

Sookie cut the sentence short. It was about to happen. The vision that she had in the private room was about to happen. She stood up from her seat and walked towards something or someone that hadn't appeared just yet. Selene and Chow strained to see what she was seeing but they couldn't. They flanked on either side of her and followed her as she walked in the direction of the unseen. When they reached the table that Sookie saw in her vision, she stopped walking. The vampires followed suit. A human girl walked into the bar and Sookie could see that she was up to no good.

"Mistress," Chow said. "We can handle her. You mustn't trouble yourself." Chow's fangs dropped into place and he was ready to kill the girl without as much as a second thought.

Sookie placed her hand on his covered arm and said, "I can do this. She means me no harm. She's here to kill vampires."

Every vampire that was on the dance floor turned in the direction of the girl and Sookie.

"Stand down," Sookie said calmly and in a voice that only they could hear.

They did but they stayed in their defensive mode.

The girl stopped in front of the table that Sookie and her vampires stood beside. "Hi," Sookie said. "You looked uncomfortable when you walked in so I decided to come over and introduce myself. My name is Sookie. You must not be used to being around a lot of vampires."

The girl's wild eyes were even wilder when Sookie spoke to her. The girl was there for revenge. She wanted to make a vampire come to her; feed from her. As a matter of fact, she wanted to get as many vampires as she could to feed from her. She was going to kill them all. They'd killed her mama and she was going to kill them. Who knew that shooting heroin had an adverse effect on vampires? She'd only found out by accident; an accident that she was glad that happened. She enjoyed seeing them in an adverse state. It pleased her to know that the heroin made them so weak that it was easy to stake them.

"How are you Kira?"

Kira's wild eyes widened. "How do you know my name?"

"I make it my business to know everyone that means harm to my kinsmen."

"You're a vampire?" Kira asked in a whispered voice.

Sookie laughed. "I am not. I am married to one but I am no vampire. Let me introduce you to my friends." Pointing to her left and then to her right, she said, "This is Chow and this here is Selene. They are vampires and as I said before, they are my friends. As a matter of fact, most of the beings in here are vampires. There a couple of shifters and Weres but more vampires. And I will not let you cause harm to them."

Kira's heart was thumping and her pulse was racing. "How did you know …? I didn't say …. You ain't supposed to know. I ain't told nobody."

"You didn't have to. I can see what's going on with you. You're hurting." Sookie looked at Selene and said, "Her pain is so ugly that it's festering inside of her. Can't you smell? It stinks of misery and pain." She turned her attentions back to Kira and offered the girl her hand. Without hesitation, she took it. When she did, a glow enveloped them both.

Chow smiled.

Selene gasped. She was in awe of the faery princess.

"Sit with me," Sookie said.

"Okay," Kira answered.

Sookie and Kira sat at the table while Chow and Selene stood guard. Sookie began talking. "He didn't kill your mama. A human killed her because she was in love with a vampire. You don't need me to tell you this because you already know."

Kira started crying. "If she hadn't fallen in love with him, my daddy wouldn't have killed her and he wouldn't be in prison and I wouldn't be alone. I ain't got nobody no more. If she didn't love him, she would still be with me. It is his fault." Kira dropped her head and sobbed loudly. Sookie felt sorry for the girl. She wouldn't normally do what she was about to do for a human but she had to.

"Look at me, Kira," Sookie ordered.

"What?" she answered as she wiped her nose with the back of her hand. Selene and Chow looked at Sookie too. Vampires began moving in slowly; no longer angry but intrigued. They wanted to know what the princess was about to do to the human.

Sookie's eyes brightened as she took over the girl's mind. "I will take away your pain because in the end, it will save you. Do you want to be saved?"

Kira nodded.

"Good girl," Sookie said. "You will no longer blame vampires for the death of your mama. You have come to terms with what your father has done. Vampires can be your friend as long as you are a friend to them. They're no different than humans in that aspect. Do you understand?"

Kira's posture changed. Her eyes brightened and a smile almost appeared on her face. She willingly gave more of her will to Sookie.

"The human that killed your beloved mama is dead. He sneaked into the prison and killed him. Her vampire lover killed him because he, in turn, loved your mama. You will forever hold onto what he did for your mama. The fact that she loved a vampire will no longer be used as a reason to hate them. You will use it a reason to revere them. That is the only logical thing for you to do, is it not?"

"Yes," Kira answered.

Sookie squeezed Kira's hand tighter. "Chow give Kira all of the money in your wallet."

Chow pulled his wallet out and gave Kira a wad of hundreds that would have choked an elephant. He handed the money to Sookie and she took it. She let him know that Eric would pay him back tonight.

He shook his head no. "Take it. Give it to her. It's okay."

Sookie placed the money in front of the girl and said, "Take this money and you leave town tonight. You will never return to this city again. If you do, you will surely die."

"I won't come back …ever."

"Put it in your purse and when you leave, don't look back." Still holding the girl's hand, Sookie stood up and addressed every vampire in Bloody Goodness. "This human will not be touched tonight. She will leave tonight and will never return. If she does, she will suffer the consequences but tonight, she is free. Is that fair?"

Yeses filled the air in the room.

"Thank you all so much. Please, return to your dancing and fun."

The vampires began socializing just as they had before Kira entered the bar. Sookie returned her attention back to the girl and helped her to stand.

"Leave," Sookie ordered the girl. But before she released Kira's hand, she pulled the girl into her body. Sookie's eye darkened and her glow faded to black. Kira was terrified. "Listen to me and listen to me good. If you return to this city, you won't have to worry about the vampires. I will hunt you down and kill you myself. As I said before, my husband is a vampire so heed my warning. I don't make threats."

Kira began shaking and crying.

"Your pain now belongs to me. I'm giving you a chance."

"Okay," she whispered.

"Remember my face and my words, human. Don't fear the vampires; fear me," Sookie concluded. She released the girl's hand and the fear remained on her face and in her eyes as she stared at Sookie. It filled her spirit; just as Sookie wanted.

Kira reached for the money and crammed it into her purse and ran. Sookie watched her as she left. She knew that the girl was never coming back. When she turned to smile at Chow and Selene, she saw Eric standing in the doorway of the VIP lounge watching her. She sent him a burst of love as he bowed to her. Soon he was making his way to her. With the simple lift of her hand, she stopped him. He stood in the doorway and waited. He followed Sookie's eyes and stared at the two vampires that were standing with her.

Though Chow had seen her take over an entire room before, he remained in awe of Sookie. This was Selene's first time and it was evident. The normally emotionless vampire's face was filled with emotion; so many that it was hard to pinpoint which was the most prevalent. Sookie smiled at them but it didn't reach her eyes. Just as she told Eric earlier, she was no longer in the mood for dancing and celebrating with their friends. The use of her powers had drained her.

"Are you okay, mistress?" Chow asked. He didn't let her answer. "Let me take you to the master."

Sookie was about to say okay but Selene cut her off; her eyes still on Sookie.

"No. Make sure that the girl leaves and that no one causes harm her. I'll take her to the master. I'll keep our mistress safe."

Chow was angry but said nothing and di what his superior ordered of him.

"Thanks, Selene." Sookie's voice was barely above a whisper.

As Selene guided Sookie back to the private room, she realized what's so special about the faery princess. She realized that she would give her very life in order to keep her safe.


End file.
